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THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


BY MARGARET R. PIPER 

T 

Sylvia’s Experiment: The Cheerful Book net $1.25 

{.Trade Mark) 

The Princess and the Clan 1.50 

? 

THE PAGE COMPANY, BOSTON, MASS. 























































































THE PRINCESS 


THE PRINCESS 
AND THE CLAN 


BY 

MARGARET R, PIPER 

AUTHOR OF 

“ Sylvia’s Experiment: The Cheerful Book,” Etc. 

( Trade Mark) 


ILLUSTRATED BY 

JOHN GOSS 



THE PAGE COMPANY 
BOSTON 


a 





Copyright , 1915, by 
The Page Company 

All rights reserved 

First Impression, January, 1915 


THE COLONIAL PRESS 
C. H. SIMONDS CO., BOSTON, U. S. A. 



FEB I 1915 

©CU391542 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. The Princess ..... 1 

II. Under the Greenwood Tree . . 17 

III. The Clan ..... 33 

IV. The Princess Is Surprised . . 46 

V. The Princess Descends ... 58 

VI. Clashes and Crushes . 73 

VII. A Rainy Sunday . . . .87 

VIII. At the Pines ..... 98 

IX. The Game ..... 109 

X. An Adventure . . . .122 

XI. A Mystery . . . . .138 

XII. Of Various Things .... 154 

XIII. Up the Mountain . . . .165 

XIV. To the Rescue . . . .177 

XV. The Solution . . . .189 

XVI. The Sure ’Nough Heroine . . 201 

XVII. The Quitter . . . . .217 

XVIII. The Princess Ventures . . . 230 

XIX. The Prodigals .... 243 

XX. The Shadow ..... 254 

XXI. What Keith Knew .... 263 

XXII. Aftermath ..... 272 

XXIII. Accompanying Barkis . . . 283 

XXIV. On the Mountain-top . . . 296 

XXV. Keith’s Birthday .... 306 






































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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


The Princess 

“ * What luck ? ’ asked Cecilia ” 

U ( 


PAGE 

. Frontispiece 


Are you sure you were out, Wallace ? ’ he 
asked ” ...... 

“ Don sat rolling his tennis ball meditatively 
about on his racket ” 

“ She came of an indomitable race and was 

NOT TO BE DEFEATED BY MERE WATER ” 

“ Elizabeth decided she was having a per- 
fectly ‘ gorgeous * time ” 


60 


116 


198 


205 


242 






THE PRINCESS 
AND THE CLAN 


CHAPTER I 

THE PKINCESS 

Elizabeth was the very picture of demure 
propriety as she walked sedately down the 
aisle to the Page family pew. The casual 
observer might, by no means, have guessed 
how stormily her heart beat beneath the 
white broadcloth of her coat nor that hot 
stinging tears were behind the demurely 
lowered lashes. Certainly no one would 
ever have dreamed that this little maid 
of apparently angelic demeanor had just 
emerged from a fray in which she had dis- 
played a temper the reverse of angelic, a 
tantrum which had driven her much endur- 
l 


2 


THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ing governess to resign an untenable post 
and caused her Aunt Evelyn to take to her 
bed. 

The drooping white hat with its nodding 
pink roses was bowed in proper attitude of 
prayer as befitted an occupant of the Page 
pew, but Elizabeth could not pray. Her 
whole heart was filled with that flooding 
kind of unhappiness that drowns all other 
emotions. Under cover of the broad brim 
of the rose-laden hat she made a furtive dab 
with her handkerchief at the tears that 
threatened to overflow. Then she sat up 
very straight and stiff and dignified, for one 
who is a Page knows that a display of emo- 
tions is vulgar at any time but impermissi- 
ble in public. 

Luckily at this moment a diversion oc- 
curred. The Wallaces arrived, swarming 
into the two pews ahead. Elizabeth did not 
know any of them to speak to except Mrs. 
Wallace, whom she had met officially as the 
rector’s wife. But she dearly loved to watch 
them all. They seemed so happy and jolly 
and so fond of each other. 


THE PRINCESS 


3 


One by one they filed in. First there was 
the pretty young lady with the fair hair and 
the forget-me-not blue eyes — a regular blue 
and gold princess whom Elizabeth of the 
raven locks admired tremendously. Next to 
her was the funny chubby-faced little boy 
in the white sailor suit who was forever bob- 
bing up and down in the pew and turning 
his head in a thousand directions. His face 
was as a Raphael cherub’s, but Elizabeth 
had noted appreciatively, on former occa- 
sions, that his conduct did not always match 
his cherubic expression. Mrs. Wallace her- 
self came next. Elizabeth had loved her 
from the first moment she saw her, though 
she looked so “ mothery ” it sometimes 
made a lump come in her throat she wanted 
her own dear little mother so. Aunt Evelyn 
was not in the least “ mothery.” Poor 
thing! She had had scarcely any practice! 

Beyond Mrs. Wallace sat the snub-nosed 
freckled boy who was always doing some- 
thing more or less shocking. Perhaps that 
was why he was usually seated so close be- 
neath his mother’s watchful eye. That was 


4 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


a pew full, but they spilled over to the other 
aisle. There were three other boys. First 
came the dreamy dark-eyed one, conspicuous 
in an otherwise uniformly blue-eyed family, 
who frowned and wriggled when the soprano 
struck a false note and looked as if he were 
seeing angels when the organist played Bee- 
thoven. Elizabeth wondered how he would 
have looked if he could hear Uncle Daniel 
play on the great organ at the Pines. Next 
to him came a tall youth whom she had not 
seen before, but whom she supposed to be the 
son who was away at college and who was 
now presumably having vacation. Elizabeth 
liked him for the way he smiled at his 
mother over his brothers’ heads. He was 
handsomer than the tanned merry-eyed boy 
at the end, but it was the one at the end that 
Elizabeth liked best of all, and wanted most 
of all to know. 

“ Oh, dear! ” she thought to herself. “ If 
I only had brothers and sisters like other 
people, I wouldn’t be so horrid. I just know 
I wouldn’t. I didn’t use to be so naughty 
in Virginia with little mother. But I’m so 


THE PRINCESS 


5 


lonely I simply can’t be good. I bate the 
Pines ! I can’t stand it there another day! ” 

At this climax her slippered foot came 
down on the floor with a vehemence which 
would have made it a stamp if the carpet had 
not discreetly muffled the process. It was 
becoming a habit of Elizabeth’s lately to 
stamp her foot whenever she said “ can’t ” 
or “ won’t ” ; two ugly little words that, 
sad to say, rose rather often to her lips these 
days. It must be admitted that, whatever 
she had been down in Virginia, she was quite 
“ horrid ” in Vermont. But, then, she was 
very lonely and miserable and love hungry, 
too. Of course, in theory, one ought to be 
just as good when one is unhappy as happy 
people are, but, in fact, it quite often does 
not work that way. It hadn’t in Elizabeth’s 
case. 

Just now the unpermissible tears were 
welling up again, and there is no knowing 
what would have happened if a fortunate 
diversion had not occurred. The cherub 
managed opportunely to drop his penny. 
Without hesitation he dived after his miss- 


6 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ing piece of property, which, with the per- 
versity of pennies the world over, had gone 
rolling merrily backward. An absurdly an- 
gelic, plump and rosy countenance peered up 
at Elizabeth from under the pew. A small 
hand grasped the runaway and a gurgling 
triumphant and distinctly audible “ got 
him ” completed the rector’s rounded pe- 
riod. Elizabeth smothered a giggle in her 
moist handkerchief. The snub-nosed boy 
gave vent to a shamelessly unsubdued 
snicker. The broad shoulders of the “ like- 
ablest ” one at the end shook visibly, and 
a pair of friendly blue eyes met Elizabeth’s 
dancing with sympathetic mirth. It was 
only a little thing, but the tears were ban- 
ished and thoughts turned in happier chan- 
nels. 

After the service Mrs. Wallace turned to 
Elizabeth with a cordial outstretched hand 
and a smile which winged its way straight 
into the child’s heart. 

“ Good morning, dear. What a faithful 
little church-goer you are, to come all by 
yourself! I hope your aunt isn’t ill again.” 


THE PRINCESS 


7 


“ No,” stammered Elizabeth with crim- 
son cheeks. “ She isn’t ill exactly. She 
went to bed because I — I made her head 
ache,” she blurted out desperately. “ And 
I didn ’t want to come to church. They made 
me.” 

There was a kind of fearful relief in pour- 
ing out the whole unlovely truth, though the 
moment it was out she would have given 
anything to recall it. It was dreadful that 
Mrs. Wallace should know how bad she 
was. 

But Mrs. Wallace didn’t seem in the least 
horrified by the disgraceful confession. She 
drew Elizabeth’s hand into hers and stood 
looking down at her with gentle questioning 
eyes. When she did speak she ignored the 
confession completely. 

“ You poor child! ” she crooned softly. 
“ You poor child! What have we been 
about to let you get so lonely? ” 

It was like magic the way she understood 
that it wasn’t really badness after all. 
And what wonderful things she was say- 
ing! 


8 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


u We must get your aunt to lend you to 
us. We haven’t any little girl, you know. 
Will you come? ” 

Would she come? It was almost too good 
to be true. If only — only Aunt Evelyn 
would let her! 

“ Oh-h,” she gasped, when she got her 
breath. “ You don’t know how I’d love to, 
if Aunt Evelyn will let me. Won’t you 
please ask her, Mrs. Wallace? ” wistfully. 

4 4 To be sure I will,” smiled Mrs. Wallace. 
If she shared Elizabeth’s doubts on the sub- 
ject of Aunt Evelyn she did not express her 
thoughts. But she knew only too well how 
little Mrs. Page cared to mingle with the 
life of the village which nestled at the foot 
of Pine Hill, and was by no means sure that 
she would consent to Elizabeth’s doing so. 
Yet surely something must be done for this 
lonely eager-eyed child. She must not be 
left exclusively to the society of a nervous 
fretful semi-invalid and a recluse who cared 
for little else than his music. What would 
be better if it could be managed than to 
transport the child occasionally to the 


THE PRINCESS 


9 


shabby old parsonage which brimmed over 
with young life and laughter? 

These blessings seemed remote indeed to 
Elizabeth at dinner that day, sitting in un- 
congenial silence in the great dining-room 
at the Pines in the solitary companionship 
of her Uncle Daniel. The irate Miss Dun- 
ning was packing and scorned to appear at 
the meal. Aunt Evelyn was still in retire- 
ment, and so Elizabeth and her uncle had 
the gloomy function to themselves. 

“ Goodness! ” sighed Elizabeth to her- 
self. “ If he would only say something it 
wouldn’t be so bad. If he would even wake 
up enough to scold I believe I could stand 
it better. I shall scream if somebody 
doesn’t say something.” 

Uncle Daniel, continuing to devote ab- 
sorbed attention to chicken and mushrooms, 
did not appear to promise speech. Plainly 
if any one was to do any saying it must be 
herself. 

“ Uncle Daniel,” she ventured desper- 
ately. 

He looked up with a start, as if indeed he 


10 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


had not hitherto been aware of her pres- 
ence. 

“ Well, my dear? Will yon have some 
more chicken? ” 

Chicken, indeed! 

“ Uncle Daniel,’ ’ she ignored his blind 
offering magnificently. 4 4 I was very bad 
this morning. I was rude to Aunt Evelyn 
and I — I threw a book at Miss Dunning, 
and she’s leaving. She says she can’t stand 
me any longer. I am utterly de — de — , ’ ’ 
wrinkling her forehead in the effort to re- 
capture the precise and dreadful “ de ” of 
which she had been pronounced guilty — 
“ depraved,” she finally fished up trium- 
phantly from her mental deeps. “ Utterly 
depraved! ” she repeated with some unc- 
tion, peeping up at her uncle from beneath 
her lashes to see how he took this fearful 
verdict. 

“ Indeed! indeed! ” he murmured dis- 
tractedly. “ Very unfortunate! Very un- 
fortunate indeed! ” ambiguously. “ Never 
mind, Elizabeth. You shall have a new gov- 
erness if you and Miss Dunning do not — 


THE PRINCESS 


11 


er — get on together. But ’ ’ — with a spas- 
modic attempt at the proprieties of the oc- 
casion — 4 4 you shouldn ’t worry your aunt. 
She has had a great deal to bear — a great 
deal to bear, ’ ’ he repeated with a ponderous 
sigh. 

The quick sympathy flashed into Eliza- 
beth’s face, for her heart was as warm as 
her temper. 

44 I know,” she admitted abashed. 44 Poor 
Auntie! I’m dreadfully sorry for her — 
truly I am. If she hadn’t lost Kenneth she 
would have been different,” she added im- 
pulsively, and then remembered too late that 
no one spoke of Kenneth to Uncle Daniel. 

He answered gently however, a pitiful 
repetition of her words. 

4 4 Yes. If she hadn’t lost Kenneth she 
would have been different. It would all have 
been different,” wearily. 

His unusual responsiveness encouraged 
Elizabeth to let her imagination play a little 
upon the fascinating subject usually taboo. 

44 How lovely it would have been to have 
a boy cousin just my age to play with! ” she 


12 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


sighed. “ I wouldn’t have been lonesome 
then. I just know it’s mostly that that 
makes me so bad. It makes me — oh, I can ’t 
tell you what it makes me. I don’t under- 
stand it myself, but it makes me almost 
crazy. I’m so lonesome. I want my mother. 
I want some one to play with,” and unex- 
pectedly her head went down on the table, 
her shoulders shaken with sobs. “ I want 
some one — to p-play with! ” she wailed. 

Poor Uncle Daniel! There was nothing 
he did not know about harmonies and major 
and minor scales, but this knowledge didn’t 
afford him the slightest assistance at the 
present crisis. Little maids in an agony of 
tears and misery were utterly beyond the 
range of his experience. Vaguely feeling 
that something was required of him he 
reached over and patted her hair with awk- 
ward tenderness. 

“ There, there, Elizabeth! ” he begged. 
u Don’t cry.” 

In a moment she looked up with an April 
smile. 

“ Dear me! Isn’t this the very funniest 


THE PRINCESS 


13 


Sunday dinner you ever heard of? Let’s 
ring for the ice-cream.” 

If slightly confused by this sudden recov- 
ery, Uncle Daniel was no less relieved. The 
masculine mind finds smiles more compre- 
hensible and less alarming than tears. Yet 
he couldn’t quite banish the memory of the 
passed over storm, and as they rose from the 
table he patted his niece’s head once more 
sympathetically. 

“ Eun out doors, child. Miss Dunning 
will take you for a walk.” Already he had 
forgotten Miss Dunning’s relations with the 
specimen of utter depravity before him. He 
was, however, speedily reminded of the 
status quo. 

4 4 Miss Dunning will never take me any- 
where again,” announced his niece with re- 
proachful dignity. “ She is going, and if 
she weren’t I should never speak to her 
again — never to my dying day,” she com- 
pleted dramatically. 

Again Uncle Daniel was thrown off his 
balance and stood staring in a bewildered 
fashion at his rather unexpected niece. 


14 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Bless my soul! Bless my soul! ” he 
ejaculated helplessly. 

“ Miss Dunning insulted me,” vouchsafed 
Elizabeth grandly. 

“ Insulted you! ” gasped her uncle. 

“ Insulted me,” repeated Elizabeth. 
“ She said I had told her a lie. Me! ” in 
terrible disdain. 

“ Exactly! Exactly! You were quite 
right to resent such an implication. ’ ’ 

“ I did resent it,” she assured him. “ I 
threw a book at her. It was a fat book, too 
— Heath’s German Dictionary.” There was 
a shade of reminiscent satisfaction in her 
tone which argued little of repentance. 

“I — I hope you did not hurt her, my 
dear,” he managed to observe optimistic- 
ally. 

She sighed. 

“ I did not. I regret to say that I hit 
the lampshade instead. I was sorry for 
that, for it made such a noise when it 
smashed that it disturbed Aunt Evelyn.” 

Irrelevantly it occurred to the dazed mind 
of Mr. Page to wonder what kind of a noise 


THE PRINCESS 


15 


would have resulted had it been the head of 
the unfortunate Miss Dunning that had hap- 
pened to be smashed. 

44 When Aunt Evelyn came in,” went on 
Elizabeth, “ it flustered me so that I was 
saucy without meaning to be, and we were 
all muddled up. Then Miss Dunning said 
I was depraved, and that she wouldn’t stand 
me another day, and Aunt Evelyn said I’d 
given her a headache, and they sent me to 
church to keep me quiet while Auntie went 
to bed and Miss Dunning packed. So, you 
see, I really have been very bad. I shouldn’t 
wonder if I were depraved. She may be 
right, you know,” cheerfully, for the terri- 
ble word had quite captivated her imagina- 
tion. 

Uncle Daniel coughed discreetly. 

“ Nonsense, my dear. But never mind 
Miss Dunning. Go without her, if you like.” 

There was at present no church to which 
he could consign the rather strenuous young 
person, and he hungered for peace and calm 
after his rather unusual spasm of conver- 
sation. 


16 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ May I really? ” Elizabeth could hardly 
believe her ears. 

“ Of course, of course,” abstractedly, his 
mind already straying to his beloved organ, 
in whose society he usually spent the hours 
of the afternoon, fleeing from the cares of 
the world. 

Fortified by her uncle’s permission, which 
she was careful not to attempt to get ratified 
by a higher court, Elizabeth took speedy 
advantage of an unprecedented liberty and 
went out into the spring sunshine with her 
heart all a-flutter like a caged bird suddenly 
given woodland freedom. 


CHAPTER II 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 

Half way across a bubbling woodland 
brook stood Elizabeth, her skirts held dain- 
tily around her, balancing uncertainly on a 
precariously slippery stone. The violets 
had looked bigger and bluer on the other 
side, and the crossing had seemed a simple 
matter until experience proved otherwise. 
Consequently here she was midway, daring 
neither to retrace her steps nor proceed. It 
seemed as if she might topple over any min- 
ute, and the water which gurgled tempestu- 
ously about the stone looked very dark and 
cold and treacherous. The dubious platform 
on which she stood gave an uncertain lurch, 
sending a little eddy of water gushing al- 
most under her foot, eliciting a dismayed 
exclamation from the half frightened, half 
fascinated adventurer. 

“ Hold on, I’m coming,” called a voice 
17 


18 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


from somewhere, so unexpectedly that it was 
a wonder the cry of succor had not precipi- 
tated the imminent catastrophe. Elizabeth 
managed, however, to 44 hold on,” though 
certainly there was nothing to hold on to, 
and saw with interest that it was one of the 
Wallace boys — the 44 likeablest ” one, in 
fact — who was plunging down the slope to 
her assistance. 

44 Oh, you’ll get your feet wet! ” she 
gasped, somewhat startled by his cool dis- 
regard of the whirling stream. 

44 Not the first time,” he laughed. 44 Give 
us your hand. Now then, step on that stone 
— the flat black one.” 

Dismayed, but obedient, Elizabeth 
achieved the feat, but a considerable space 
of spring swollen torrent still lay between 
her and dry land, to which her rescuer had 
already taken a goat-like leap. 

44 Jump,” he commanded. 44 I’ll catch 
you. ’ ’ 

44 Oh, I can’t,” wailed Elizabeth. 

44 Of course you can. Don’t be a baby. I 
tell you I’ll catch you.” 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE Id 


She hesitated, torn between her fear of 
the rushing water and her indignation at 
being called a baby. Before she knew what 
was happening to her she had been lifted 
bodily at one fell swoop and deposited on 
the bank not at all certain whether to be 
grateful or angry at such summary proceed- 
ings. 

‘ ‘ Gee ! but you ’re light ! ’ ’ commented her 
captor coolly. “ A regular feather- 
weight! ” 

“ Why didn’t you let me alone? ” she 
demanded sharply. “ I was just going to 
jump. ’ ’ 

“ Were you? ” he grinned. “ You didn’t 
look it. Beg pardon if I was too sudden.” 

Somehow she couldn’t continue to be 
haughty after that and, anyway, she was 
very glad to be safe on land, even if she had 
arrived somewhat ignominiously. 

“ I am very much obliged,” she returned 
politely. “ I had no idea it was so hard to 
get across.” 

“ It isn’t when you know how,” he as- 
sured her, and, like a flash, he was across, 


20 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


seeming to choose by infallible instinct the 
safe stepping-stones. In a moment he was 
beside her again. 

“ It’s a perfect cinch ” he added gratui- 
tously. Then, seeing her slightly mystified 
expression, he obligingly translated. “ Dead 
easy, you know. I say, don’t you really 
understand slang? ” curiously. 

“ Not very well,” meekly. “ You see, I 
never had a chance to learn, ’ ’ she apologized 
regretfully. 

He shouted at that. 

“ There are people who would say you 
hadn’t missed much,” he told her, “ though 
I don’t agree with ’em. Come down and see 
us as Mother asked you, and you’ll learn fast 
enough. I wonder if you would though,” 
he added with a quick glance at her. 
u Slang wouldn’t fit you somehow.” 

“ Why not? ” a little resentfully. 

“ Too much of a fine lady. My brother 
Keith calls you the Princess.” 

“ The Princess! Why? ” Elizabeth was 
not sure whether to feel flattered or annoyed 
at the title. 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 21 


He smiled and shook his head. 

“ Would any one but a Princess come out 
in the woods in such toggery? ” with a 
glance at her silk dress and patent leather 
slippers which implied masculine scorn of 
such fripperies. 

She flushed. 

“ You are dreadfully rude,” she re- 
torted. 

“ Sorry — didn’t mean to be,” he apolo- 
gized promptly. “ By the way, I haven’t 
properly introduced myself. I am Don Wal- 
lace, as you probably know. Have I -the 
honor of addressing Mistress Elizabeth 
Page? ” taking off his hat and making a 
courtly obeisance. 

She smiled, mollified by his gallant man- 
ner and friendly eyes. 

“ But I don’t want to be a fine lady,” she 
protested. “ And I would like to talk 
slang. ’ ’ 

“ It wouldn’t fit you, I tell you — any 
more than it would Cecilia.” 

“ Cecilia! Is she your sister? ” 

“ No, indeed. I haven’t any sister. Ce- 


22 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


cilia ’s my cousin. We are all boys. Isn’t 
that fearful to contemplate? ” 

“ I think it is beautiful,” sighed lonely 
Elizabeth. “ I just wish I had five broth- 
ers.” 

“ You would have another wish coming 
rather shortly after trying,” he smiled. 
“ We are a lot of heathens Mother says — 
only she doesn’t really mind, and is strong 
on home missions,” with a twinkle. “ But, 
I say, how do you happen to be here all by 
yourself? I never saw you before without a 
bodyguard and it has occurred twice to-day. 
How did you escape the — er — ? ” 

“ Dragon,” suggested Elizabeth, with a 
twinkle of her own, which won a chuckle 
from Don. “ She’s resigned.” 

“ To her fate? ” 

“ Far from it. She is leaving, because I 
am utterly — utterly- — never mind what. 
It was something very bad,” so compla- 
cently that her companion was moved to 
mirth. 

“ Good for you! ” he applauded grace- 
lessly. 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 23 


But already Elizabeth was a little 
ashamed and shook her head soberly. 

“ You shouldn’t encourage me,” she re- 
proved. “ I really behaved dreadfully. Oh 
dear, I’m tired,” suddenly realizing the fact. 

Don gallantly spread his sweater on a 
stump and waved her to a seat. She sank 
down with a little sigh of content, for the 
unusual effort and excitement had made her 
more weary than she knew. Don dropped on 
another convenient stump and surveyed his 
companion with frank curiosity. 

“ I say, Miss Princess, did you run 
away? ” he asked. 

“ No, indeed! Uncle Daniel said I could 
come. Of course,” with tardy honesty, 
“ Aunt Evelyn would be horrified if she 
knew. But she doesn’t,” comfortably. 

“ I see. What made you come here? ” 

“ I have wanted to come here ever since 
I can remember, but Miss Dunning always 
made me stick to the road. It is so horrid 
dull — sticking to roads,” she added plain- 
tively. 

“ I should say so. Then you’ve never seen 


24 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Icy Spring nor the Cave nor climbed Ama- 
nock. ’ ’ 

“ I haven’t seen nor done anything,” de- 
clared Elizabeth sadly. 

“ Time yon began then.” 

“ But Aunt Evelyn thinks it isn’t ladylike 
to walk.” 

“ Shucks! Excuse me. Didn’t mean to 
be impolite but — ” he paused, conscious 
that there were times when it wasn’t safe to 
publish one’s opinion, unabridged. 

“ I know,” sighed Elizabeth, “ but I can’t 
make her over, and I suppose they’ll get 
another horrid stupid governess and I shall 
go on living the same horrid stupid life I’ve 
been living ever since I came to the Pines 
until I die. Oh dear, let ’s not talk about me ! 
Tell me about you — all of you — your 
names and everything.” 

“ Whew! ” whistled Don. “ Some heap 
big order! WHiere shall I begin? ” 

“ At the top — at least after your father 
and mother. I know them.” 

“ M-mm! Let me see. Cecilia must be 
next to the top, though Rupert’s three days 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 25 


older. Slie has lived with us ever since last 
summer when she finished school. She's a 
darling — also a civilizing influence, so Dad 
says. Rupert is a Sophomore in Marston 
College. He rows on the Varsity and plays 
quarter-back. ' ? 

“ What's quarter-back? A game? " 

Don stared, then laughed. 

“ Isn't that just like a girl? " he exploded. 
“ Quarter-back is a position in football." 

“ Oh," nodded Elizabeth, scantily enlight- 
ened but unwilling to exhibit further igno- 
rance. “ Do you come next? " 

“ Chronologically, yes. I'm a Junior in 
Riverside High, and neither very good or 
bad at anything," he summed up hastily, 
modestly forbearing to mention that he was 
captain and pitcher of the baseball team, the 
best quarter-mile sprinter in the River Val- 
ley Athletic Association, a football player of 
considerable prowess, a medal winner prize 
speaker and an all-round good student and 
good fellow. “ Keith comes next," he hur- 
ried on. 1 6 Keith is a genius in his way. He 
is a perfect wonder at the violin, but he hates 


26 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


pretty much everything most boys like. He 
is not very strong, and Mother watches over 
him like a tame gosling, and lectures us if 
we tease him too much.” 

“ He doesn’t look a bit like the rest of 
you. His hair is as dark as mine and so are 
his eyes.” 

“ So they are. Queer, isn’t it? He is dif- 
ferent in more ways than eyes, too. I sup- 
pose it is because he is a genius and the rest 
of us are common ordinary,” he concluded. 
“ Then there is Billy. You have seen Will- 
iam, so perhaps you know he is a genius, too, 
of a different variety. He can get into more 
mischief to the square inch than any other 
boy I ever knew. Rupe and I are not exactly 
saints, but Billy carries off the palm. We 
are prepared for anything from him. He 
has the best intentions in the world, too, and 
is the most good-natured chap I ever saw. 
He hasn’t a spark of the Wallace temper.” 

“ Have you? ” curiously. 

“ Have I? ” he shrugged expressively. 
“ I’ll bet you have a good one yourself — a 
good bad one rather. ’ ’ 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 27 


44 I’m afraid I have,” sighed Elizabeth, 
remembering the fat German Dictionary. 
44 The only good part of it is it doesn’t last 
long.” 

44 Same here. Rupe and I get mad and it 
is all over in a flash, but Keith is a regular 
Indian and sulks for days. But I have di- 
gressed from the catalogue of the Clan.” 

“ The Clan? ” 

44 That is what we call ourselves. You 
know, Dad is Scotch, and we boys have al- 
ways been crazy over Scotch history. I used 
to sleep with 4 Scottish Chiefs ’ under my 
pillow. Once, when Rupe and I were in dis- 
grace, because we’d disobeyed, Dad organ- 
ized us into a clan with Rupe as chief, and 
you wouldn’t believe how much better we’ve 
behaved ever since. I am chief when Rupe 
is away, and I tell you it keeps me minding 
my P’s and Q’s.” 

44 Oh,” cried Elizabeth with shining eyes, 
44 I think that is just perfectly splendid. I 
wish I belonged to a clan,” wistfully. 

44 You are a Princess,” he smiled. 44 You 
don ’t need to. ’ ’ 


28 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Privately Elizabeth thought differently. 
She realized vaguely that a little clan dis- 
cipline would have prevented a disgraceful 
scene like this morning’s. For the first time 
in many weeks she ceased to see herself in 
the light of an abused individual and began 
to feel honestly a little ashamed. 

‘ ‘ Then there is Robin, ’ ’ Don was proceed- 
ing. “ Robert Glenn Wallace, in other 
words. He is the baby, though he would 
probably hurl bricks at me if he heard me 
call him that. He is number five.” 

“ He is a dear. So is your mother,” 
warmly. 

“ She sure is. That reminds me. I was 
going to get her some violets. She loves 
them, and these are such beauties.” 

“ I didn’t know boys ever did things like 
that,” said Elizabeth, surprised. “ I think 
it is very nice of you. ’ ’ 

He shook his head as if to disclaim her 
praise. 

“ You see,” he admitted, “ I didn’t come 
up here for that. Law is off on trout next 
week and I thought I might be able to locate 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 29 


an old general who lives up in the dark pool. 
He has foiled us for two seasons and I mean 
to get him this year. So, you see, it wasn’t 
precisely a Sunday expedition, especially for 
a minister’s son.” 

“ I am glad you aren’t dreadfully good.” 

He laughed at her relieved tone. 

“ You need never worry about that,” he 
assured her. “ Here goes for the violets.” 

“ I’ll pick some too for a peace-offering to 
Aunt Evelyn,” cried Elizabeth springing up. 

Soon they had each gathered a great mass 
of the beautiful long-stemmed deep purple 
flowers, very different from the low pale 
bloom of dry uplands ; and the delicate 
brown-stalked maidenhair, which made such 
a lovely setting for the flowers, was almost 
more beautiful than the violets themselves, 
Elizabeth thought. 

“ But how will I ever get across the brook 
again? ” she asked in some dismay, as she 
remembered her precarious crossing. 

“ Same way you came if you like,” he 
grinned cheerfully. “ If you don’t like I’ll 
take you down to the bridge. ’ ’ 


30 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Oh, is there a bridge? ” 

“ Sure. Want to see it? 99 

“ Yes, indeed. Is it far? ” looking a little 
dubiously at the lengthening shadows and 
remembering how Aunt Evelyn would feel if 
her prolonged absence were discovered. 

“ No, just a bit of a way down the brook. 
Come ahead, unless you are too tired .’ 9 

Such a charming little bridge, built of 
rough logs overgrown with moss ! Elizabeth 
cried out with admiration when it came in 
sight, but she felt some secret pangs of ap- 
prehension as to its steadiness. 

“ Afraid? ” challenged her companion. 

“ Of course not,” she prevaricated gal- 
lantly. Not for worlds would she have owned 
how horribly round and roily and slippery 
those logs looked. Boldly she plunged ahead, 
bent on proving that she was no baby, as he 
had called her. 

“ Hold on,” he warned. “ That is no 
hardwood floor. Want me to hold on to 
you? ” 

“ No.” And a little more cautiously, but 
with an air of steady determination, she 


UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE 31 


marched ahead, expecting every minute to 
reel over into the deep pool below. This dire 
catastrophe did not take place however, and, 
in a moment, she was safe and triumphant on 
the other bank. 

“ Level head,” said Don approvingly, as 
he joined her. “ Good for you, Princess.” 

Elizabeth smiled in a superior fashion. 

“ You thought I didn’t dare,” she scoffed. 

He laughed. 

“ I thought you were scared blue, and had 
too much grit to give in. How about it, Prin- 
cess? ” 

“ Pretty warm,” smiled back the Princess. 

She felt a little silent and sober as the 
Pines loomed up in the distance. She could 
hardly bear to go in and leave this beautiful 
newly discovered world and the satisfaction 
of pleasant companionship. 

Don’s quick intuition discovered her sud- 
den gravity. 

“ See here, Princess, if anybody scolds 
you for staying so long just lay it to me,” 
he offered. 

“ Indeed I shall do nothing of the sort. 


32 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


I stayed because IVe been having a lovely 
time and I wanted to stay. ’ ’ 

“ Mutual pleasure,” he smiled. “ Don’t 
forget you are coming down to see us soon 
too. Here you are. Good-by.” 

He lifted his cap, and, in a minute, was oft 
down the road at a long swinging gait. Eliz- 
abeth stared after him from the pine avenue. 
She felt a little sorrowful all of a sudden, as 
if her new happiness and liberty had gone 
away with him, and as she turned to go into 
the great house it seemed to her more a 
prison than ever before. Poor little Prin- 
cess! 


CHAPTER III 


THE CLAN 

i6 Well, where under the sun have you 
been? ” demanded Billy, as his brother en- 
tered the living-room at the parsonage. “ I 
bet I know. You missed it anyway. Cis 
made some magnificent fudge and it’s all 
gone — every smithereen. ’ ’ 

“ Well, I like that! ” protested Don. 

“ So did we,” drawled Rupert from the 
couch. “ It is well to be Johnny on the Spot 
in this family, young man.” 

Cecilia laid down her book with a smile. 
“ Come here, Don,” she beckoned. “ I’ll 
tell you a secret.” 

Whatever the secret was it was evidently 
a satisfactory one, for Don met her whis- 
pered message with a “ You are a trump, 
Cissy! Just wait till I show these greedy 
gluttons a thing or two.” 

Promptly he vanished, to return in a mo- 
33 


34 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ment with a heaping plate of candy that the 
wise Cecilia had set aside for the absent 
member of the Clan. Instantly there was a 
rush and scuffle as Billy and Robin bore 
down upon their brother and his too tempt- 
ing spoils. Just then Mrs. Wallace entered, 
looking almost as young as Cecilia in her 
white house gown and with the apple blossom 
pink in her cheeks. She held up a warning 
finger. 

“Boys! Boys! Remember what day it 

is. ,, 

Instantly the riot ceased, for, gentle as her 
sway was, the Clan was accustomed to obey 
her slightest word. 

“ Here, I’ll give you a piece all round,” 
said generous Don. Nobody except the in- 
satiable two younger members of the Clan 
accepted the invitation however, and Don 
was left to enjoy his feast in peace. “ Oh, 
Mother,” he added, “ I brought you some 
violets. They are out in the hall. Wait, 
I’ll get them.” In a moment he was back 
with his offering. 

“ Oh, aren't they beautiful? ” she cried 


THE CLAN 


35 


delightedly. “ Thank you, dear. You know 
how I love them.’’ 

Somehow it was always Don that remem- 
bered to do the pretty little things like this. 
Genuine boy as he was, he was the most 
thoughtful of the Clan where the little 
mother was concerned. 

‘ ‘ These must have come from Pine Hill,” 
she added. “ There are no such violets any- 
where else.” 

Don nodded assent with slightly height- 
ened color. 

“ You are the queerest chap,” commented 
Rupert, “ to go oft by yourself without say- 
ing anything to anybody . 9 9 

“ I’ll bet I know why,” crowed Billy im- 
portantly. 

Don glowered at his young brother, then 
thinking better of it laughed good naturedly. 

“ No secret. I went to Pine Hill to pay 
my respects to ‘ Achilles of the Pool.’ ” 

Mrs. Wallace looked over the violets in- 
quiringly at her son. 

u Donald! Not fishing to-day! ” 

“ Of course not, Mother. It was just a 


36 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


reconnoitering expedition. Law’s not off 
until next week. Anyway I had my pains 
for nothing, or no — I didn ’t though. I had 
an adventure.” 

“ Unfold the tale,” commanded Rupert, 
willing to he amused. 

“ For some strange reason the imprisoned 
Princess was at large in the forest, and I 
had the honor of transporting her across the 
raging torrent — by hand.” 

“ The imprisoned Princess? ” puzzled Ce- 
cilia. 

“ Keith’s name for Elizabeth Page,” ex- 
plained her aunt. 

“ The little girl who sits behind us in 
church and rides out with such state and 
panoply? ” 

“ The same. Mother, I do wish you would 
get her aunt to let her come down here and 
do things with us. She is bored to death up 
there all by herself. The aunt is a regular 
old — ’ ’ but he checked the uncomplimentary 
epithet on his lips as his mother shook her 
head at him. 

“ I know, Don, I am so sorry for the poor 


THE CLAN 


37 


child. She must be very lonely. Mrs. Page 
is very peculiar and rather an invalid. Poor 
soul, she has suffered a great deal! But I 
shall certainly see if I cannot do something 
for Elizabeth. I am glad you made her ac- 
quaintance. Did you like her? ” 

“ Sure. She is all right. She just had a 
battle royal with the governess and she — 
the sharp-nosed damsel is departing.” 

‘ ‘ When? ” asked Cecilia, leaning forward 
with sudden interest as if an idea had struck 
her. 

“ Immediately, I judge. Why? ” 

“ Because I am thinking of applying for 
her position. ’ ’ 

“ The idea! What nonsense! We can’t 
spare you! I guess not! ” came in indig- 
nant chorus from the boys. 

“ Cecilia, do you really mean that? ” 
asked her aunt gravely. 

“ Yes, Auntie Nell, I do. I never meant 
to stay quartered with you and Uncle Rupert 
forever. There is no reason why I shouldn’t 
be earning my own living. I am nineteen, 
and it is quite time I was about it. Besides, 


38 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


this would be such a splendid chance to begin, 
where I could see you right along; and the 
imprisoned Princess, as you call her, inter- 
ests me very much. She makes me think of 
Eleanor. I know I should love her. ’ ’ 

“ She has an awful temper,’ ’ warned Don. 

4 4 So have some other people I know, but 
it doesn’t prevent my liking them,” she re- 
torted. “ You can’t frighten me that way, 
Don.” 

“ I don’t know how we could spare you, 
dear,” said Mrs. Wallace. 

“ We’ll revert to the type,” threatened 
Rupert darkly. “ How do you dare consider 
the removal of the civilizing influence? It is 
inhuman — positively inhuman. ’ ’ 

Cecilia smiled. 

“ You have had the advantage of a far 
more civilizing influence than mine for nine- 
teen years, Rupert, so I don’t feel so fear- 
fully responsible for you as all that. Be- 
sides, you aren’t home to be civilized.” 

“ But I like to have you at home when I 
am here,” he argued. 

‘ 1 Do you? ” inquired his cousin demurely. 


THE CLAN 


39 


The eyes less demure, however, challenged 
his memory of a recent occasion which had 
borne some of the marks of a quarrel. He 
flushed a little. 

“ Hang it, Cecilia, you know we all want 
you! Mother, tell her it is nonsense — that 
she mustn’t think of such a crazy idea.” 

“ I am not at all certain that it is non- 
sense,” Mrs. Wallace basely deserted. “ It 
may be the very way we are trying to find 
of helping Elizabeth.” 

“ Confound Elizabeth! Why should Ce- 
cilia turn missionary? ” crossly. 

i ‘ We are all missionaries, Son — or ought 
to be. But I rather think with Cecilia that 
it is a good thing for her too, if it can be 
managed.” 

“ Dear Auntie! ” Cecilia patted her aunt’s 
hand affectionately. “ Of course I should 
hate to leave you, but I shall have to some- 
time, and the Pines is so near. Do you sup- 
pose I could get the position, Aunt Elea- 
nor? ” 

“ I rather think you could, dear. Mr. 
Page and your uncle are very good friends. 


40 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Yon know it was through him that we came 
to Kiverside when Rupert had to give up the 
city parish because the work was too heavy. ’ ’ 

“ Mother, you should say Rupert Senior. 
Somebody might think I was a fading 
flower, ” objected Rupert Junior. 

44 Last rose of summer,” chuckled Don, in 
return for which sally he received a well- 
aimed sofa pillow, which he promptly appro- 
priated for his greater comfort. 

Mrs. Wallace smiled at her first-born with 
eyes that twinkled very much as his did. 

44 Nobody would ever dream of accusing 
you of overwork,” she murmured. 

44 Now, Mother! ” reproached Rupert. 44 I 
assure you I do work if I don’t look it. Just 
consider the weary hours I spent on the prac- 
tice field last fall, and rowing under Denny 
is no snap, I tell you.” 

4 4 And the other somewhat important occu- 
pations of a college student? ” with a slight 
emphasis on the last word. 

He rearranged the cushions beneath his 
head with rather ostentatious interest. 

44 Oh, I study — some,” he qualified hon- 


THE CLAN 


41 


estly. 4 4 But the rest is important. More 
important than you know. A fellow in train- 
ing has to keep straight.’ ’ 

44 I hope a fellow with a father like yours 
would keep straight anyway,” she reminded 
him. 4 4 Perhaps I do understand better than 
you know, Son. I am quite inordinately 
proud of your athletic triumphs. Only I 
don’t want you to put that side first. See, 
dear? ” 

He did not answer. He was quite aware 
that it involved some sacrifice at home to 
keep him in college at all, and in his rare 
moments of seriousness it cost him some 
pangs of conscience to reflect on the light 
and airy way he was drifting along through 
the course, and knew to his shame that there 
were other things even less excusable than 
indifference to academic work. 

Mrs. Wallace changed the subject quietly 
by asking Robin to go after Keith so that 
they might have some music. It was one of 
her rarest traits as a mother that she always 
knew when enough had been said, and never 
44 rubbed it in,” as Don would have ex- 


42 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


pressed it. But just then the door opened 
and Keith himself appeared in the doorway. 
Mrs. Wallace looked up with a quick welcom- 
ing pleased smile. She was always glad 
when Keith sought the family circle of his 
own accord. He lived in a dream world 
apart and never asked any one to cross its 
threshold. She held out her hand. 

“ We were just wishing for you, dear. 
Will you play for us? ” 

Any of the others would have responded in 
some way, for they were an affectionate fam- 
ily, but Keith merely nodded and went to take 
his violin from its case. There was the usual 
preliminary of tuning, but somehow under his 
touch the harshness of the process was almost 
obliterated. He began to play, softly at first 
then louder, a weird elfin melody as of the 
laughter and sobbing of wild woodland 
sprites. He played on and on, seeming to 
forget every one, to have gone out into the 
world which the music was creating. Finally 
he ceased as abruptly as he had begun and 
without comment put away the instrument. 

Don saw that there were tears in his moth- 


THE CLAN 


43 


er’s eyes, and strolling over to her perched 
on the arm of her chair, drawing one of her 
hands into his with awkward boyish tender- 
ness. 

“ Don’t mind, dear.” She smiled up at 
him through her tears. “ Keith’s music al- 
ways makes me cry.” 

“ Lucky the rest of us aren’t geniuses,” 
he commented. “ Come on, Cissy, let’s 
sing.” 

Cecilia rose and came to the piano. 

“ Saint Cecilia! ” teased Rupert, with an 
undercurrent of meaning only she caught. 

‘ ‘ I am farther from being a saint than you 
from being a sinner,” she retorted. “ You 
can’t sing over there, lazy. Come over to the 
piano. Come, Keith, Billy, Robin, every- 
body.” 

And, in a moment, her clear soprano was 
leading the boys ’ deeper voices in that sweet- 
est of evening hymns, “ Abide With Me,” 
which brought her Uncle Rupert out of the 
study and made the family circle complete. 

Dr. Wallace was a man still in the sunny 
forties, but his iron grey hair and the force 


44 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


and dignity of his personality made him seem 
much older than his tiny, pink-cheeked, 
dainty little wife. People who did not know 
him well thought him a stern almost an aus- 
tere man. The guilty found his eyes hard 
to meet, but the contrite and the anguish- 
stricken bore testimony of his supreme ten- 
derness. His sons feared him a little, ad- 
mired him tremendously and loved him more. 
He and his wife were still the lovers and 
good comrades they had been twenty years 
before. He came to her now as the homing 
bird wings straight to its nest, dropped on 
the arm of her chair exactly as Don had done 
a little while before, and, like his son, he, 
too, reached out for her hand. 

“ Proud of them? ” he asked, with a nod 
at the group around the piano. 

“ Proud is no name for it,” she smiled 
back. “ But oh, Rupert, they are growing 
up! ” she sighed. 

“ Didn’t you expect them to? ” 

“ Why, yes, I suppose I did vaguely, but 
not yet.” 

“ It is the way of the world, dear.” 


THE CLAN 


45 


“ I know. I am so thankful for Robing 
littleness. I feel so much safer about him 
than Rupert.’ ’ 

Rupert himself turned with a smile at the 
moment; a smile that somehow reassured 
her that, big or little, he was still her boy. 

“ Mother and Dad! No fair sitting there 
spooning. .Come and sing,” he ordered. 


CHAPTER IV 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 

Meanwhile in the big house on the hill a 
very different kind of family scene was being 
enacted. Elizabeth changed her soiled dress 
and shoes, which bore too evident testimony 
of the free hours in the open, and repaired 
to her aunt’s room. 

4 4 Come,” a languid fretful voice answered 
her timid knock. 

She entered the darkened room, which she 
always associated with the odor of lavender 
salts and other restoratives. It was a beau- 
tiful room, tasteful and luxurious, but the 
child hated it, could never breathe in its close 
atmosphere of dreary unhappiness. 

“ I hope you are feeling better, Aunt Eve- 
lyn,” she said, tiptoeing over to the bed. 
“ See, I brought you some violets. Aren’t 
they lovely? ” 

“ Violets! Good heavens, Elizabeth! ” as 
46 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 47 


the girl laid the rich purple blooms on 
the white counterpane. “ Where have you 
been? ” 

‘ ‘ I went for a walk in the woods. ’ ’ 

‘ 6 A walk in the woods ! With Miss Dun- 
ning? ” 

“ I haven’t seen Miss Dunning since be- 
fore church. I went alone. Uncle Daniel 
said I might. ’ ’ 

“ Your Uncle! 99 An expressive wave of 
the thin blue-veined hand swept away Uncle 
Daniel’s competency to deal with such mat- 
ters. “ You went alone to the woods! It is 
incredible that you should do such a thing. 
Think what the shock would have been to 
me if anything had happened to you! You 
are so selfish and inconsiderate, Elizabeth! 
The very thought makes me feel faint. Hand 
me my salts, child. ’ ’ 

“ But there was nothing to happen,” ex- 
plained her niece patiently as she brought 
the salts. “ Anyway I wasn’t alone. I met 
a boy and he took care of me.” 

Mrs. Page dropped the salts aghast. 

“ A boy! Elizabeth Page! What boy? 99 


48 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


4 4 Donald Wallace.” 

Mrs. Page ventured a sigh of relief. 

44 Dr. Wallace’s son! Thank Heaven it 
was no worse. I suppose yon would have 
talked to a tramp just the same if he had 
come along,” plaintively. 

44 Tramps don’t walk in pretty woods,” 
objected Elizabeth. 44 They go on roads.” 

44 You are so thoughtless,” persisted her 
aunt, ignoring this explanation. 

44 Aunt Evelyn, Mrs. Wallace asked me 
this morning to come down and see them. 
Can I go? I want to very much,” wist- 
fully. 

44 Certainly. When I return Mrs. Wal- 
lace’s call — if I am ever able to make calls 
again — you may accompany me if you 
like.” 

44 But I don’t want to make a call. I want 
to stay and play and talk with them. I like 
the Wallaces.” 

44 I was not aware that you knew them well 
enough to like them,” rather drily. 44 Eliza- 
beth, you surely don’t want to play with 
those great boys.” 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 49 


Now this was precisely what Elizabeth did 
want, but it seemed unwise to press the mat- 
ter just then so she was discreetly silent. 

“ I am sorry you were so very rude and 
unladylike to Miss Dunning this morning,’ ’ 
Mrs. Page went on. “ I do not know when 
I shall be able to arrange to secure another 
governess. Perhaps if you apologize nicely 
Miss Dunning will stay, ’ ’ she suggested more 
hopefully. 

Elizabeth’s face darkened. 

“ Aunt Evelyn, I am perfectly willing to 
apologize to you. I am sorry I was rude and 
made your head ache, but I shall never even 
speak to Miss Dunning again let alone apol- 
ogizing. ’ ’ 

Her aunt sighed helplessly. She was no 
match for such determination as this. 

“ You make it very hard for me, Eliza- 
beth, ’ ’ she moaned fretfully. ‘ 6 I don ’t know 
what we shall do. I am not able to go to 
town, and your uncle is as helpless as a baby. 
You really do make it very hard for me,” 
she reiterated sadly. 

“ I am sorry,” said Elizabeth dejectedly. 


50 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Couldn’t I go to school? The Wallace 
boys do.” 

“To a public school ! Mercy, Elizabeth, 
you have the most extraordinary ideas. 
What would your mother say! ” 

Elizabeth was silent, the tears very near 
the surface. The mention of her mother just 
now was almost too much. 

“ I cannot talk any more now,” her aunt 
went on. “ I am getting very nervous. My 
hands are like ice. Call Marie. I must have 
a hot water bottle at once. Take the flowers. 
They are so messy.” 

Poor Elizabeth gathered up her love offer- 
ing in silence, rang the bell for the maid and 
went out of the room. 

“ I don’t believe Mrs. Wallace thought her 
violets were mussy,” she reflected bitterly. 
“ Nobody understands. Nobody cares. Poor 
little posies! I wish I hadn’t picked you. 
Do you feel strange and lonesome and mis- 
erable, too, away from the brook and the 
woods and the birds? I’ll put you in water 
anyway, and make you feel as happy as you 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 51 


This kindly deed performed she threw her- 
self on her bed and wept a little weep, not 
the tempestuous tears of the morning, how- 
ever, but a gentle refreshing spring rain in 
the midst of which she fell asleep and 
dreamed happily of old days in Virginia. 
When she awoke it was quite dark and a big 
white star was looking in at the window. 
She lay drowsily smiling back at it for a few 
moments, then half rose, resting her chin on 
her palms. 

“ ‘ Star light, star bright/ ” 
she chanted softly. 

“ ‘ Wish I may, wish I might 

Have the wish I had to-night / ” 

Then she switched on the light and her 
eyes fell on the violets. 

“ Why-ee! ” she cried delightedly. 4 4 You 
are all fresh and pretty again, not droopy a 
bit. I believe you are just as happy as you 
were in the woods. You dear things ! I am 
so glad. Wish somebody would put me in 
water! ” she sighed whimsically. 


52 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Miss Dunning took her departure on the 
following day, and Elizabeth melted her 
stern resolve sufficiently to bid her a frigid 
farewell, but the parting was not an affec- 
tionate one on either side and each con- 
tinued to regard herself as the injured 
party. 

A day passed and as nothing further was 
said about a new governess Elizabeth began 
to cherish fond hopes that she was to be 
spared an immediate infliction. She was 
more unhappy and lonely than ever though, 
for the daily tasks had been the only thing 
that had taken her mind from her miserable 
self, and now that diversion too was gone. 
But on Wednesday she was summoned to 
meet Miss Carroll. She had no idea who 
Miss Carroll was, but presumed, without 
pleasure, that she must be Miss Dunning’s 
successor. The name at least was prettier, 
and the lady herself could scarcely be as 
obnoxious as her predecessor. There are 
limits to all things, even governesses. Nev- 
ertheless it was with no especially sanguine 
expectations that she entered the library 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 53 


where sat Aunt Evelyn and — wonder of 
wonders — Don Wallace’s pretty cousin Ce- 
cilia ! Plainly there was some mistake. Gov- 
ernesses were never young and pretty — 
never turned out to be people you had ad- 
mired for ages. She looked at her aunt for 
enlightenment. 

“ Elizabeth,” Mrs. Page was saying, 
‘ ‘ this is Miss Carroll, your new governess.” 

Elizabeth’s brain reeled. Only the habit 
of good manners prompted her to take the 
little grey-gloved hand that was proffered 
her. Could such things be? An unusual shy- 
ness possessed her and kept her dumb. 

“ Good morning, Elizabeth. Do you know 
I have a feeling that we are going to be very 
happy together, haven’t you? ” and the in- 
credibly adorable governess smiled straight 
down into the perplexed brown eyes. 

Still speechless with wonder and a grow- 
ing intoxication of delight Elizabeth could 
only squeeze the grey-gloved hand. But 
somehow she knew that Miss Cecilia Carroll 
would understand. Like Mrs. Wallace, she 
was the understanding kind. 


54 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Aunt Evelyn was remarking convention- 
ally, “ You must be very good and studious 
and obedient. * * But Elizabeth scarcely heard 
her. What did these things matter? She 
was going to be happy. “ You may take 
Miss Carroll to her room,” her aunt contin- 
ued. “ I hope you will find everything per- 
fectly satisfactory, Miss Carroll. As you 
know, I am an invalid and I would prefer 
not to be disturbed about things unless it is 
absolutely necessary. I leave Elizabeth en- 
tirely in your hands. I am sure she could 
not be in better care,” graciously. 

Mrs. Page could be very gracious when 
she chose, and fully realized the difference 
between a Miss Dunning from nobody knows 
where and a Georgia Carroll whose line of 
certified ancestry was as long as her own. 
Moreover, Cecilia seemed to her a very gift 
of the gods, and she could afford to be gra- 
cious under the circumstances. If Cecilia 
was somewhat astounded at this rather re- 
markable wholesale abdication of authority 
she was no less relieved, for she perceived 
that the aunt would be rather a complication 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 55 


than an assistance in dealing with her young 
charge. 

The room to which Elizabeth led her was 
a charming one overlooking the sunken gar- 
den where the lilacs were already budding 
and with a glimpse of the solitary purple 
peak of Amanock in the distance. 

“ My room is right beside. See! ” and 
Elizabeth threw open the door into a big 
sunny room in pink and white, with white 
enamel furniture and pink rose sprinkled 
cretonnes. 

‘ 6 Oh, how pretty ! ’ ’ said Cecilia. ‘ ‘ What 
a lucky Princess you are to have such a 
bower! ” 

“ Lucky! Why, I believe I am, though I 
didn’t know it till now. Oh, Miss Cecilia — 
excuse me — I ought to say Miss Carroll, 
but Don called you the other and it is so 
pretty! ” 

u Suppose you do call me Miss Cecilia. I 
like it.” 

“ Oh, may I really? I’d love to. Miss 
Cecilia, do you know you are almost too good 
to be true. It seems as if I must be dream- 


56 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ing. I was just dreading having a new gov- 
erness and here it’s you,” ecstatically. 
“ Are you sure I am awake? ” 

“ I am anyway,” smiled Cecilia, “ and, in 
the absence of the Prince, I think I shall kiss 
the Sleeping Beauty myself.” And, stoop- 
ing, she put her arms around Elizabeth and 
performed her threat. 

“ Please, Miss Cecilia, do you suppose you 
are going to love me just a little bit? ” wist- 
fully. “ I feel as if I just had to have some 
one to love me. Do you think you could? ” 
anxiously. 

“ I am sure I could, and do already,” said 
Cecilia heartily. 

“ But I’m very bad. Even Auntie will tell 
you that, and she doesn ’t notice much so long 
as I don’t make her head ache. And Miss 
Dunning said I was utterly de — ’ ’ 

But Cecilia had laid her hand on her lips. 

“ Hush, dear. Don’t let us think of Miss 
Dunning. Let us think of you and me, who 
are going to be so happy together. Oh, you 
have some violets too. Don brought such a 
lovely bunch to Aunt Eleanor.” 


THE PRINCESS IS SURPRISED 57 


Elizabeth glanced at the flowers and smiled 
a little, remembering her wish. 

“ Miss Cecilia, I believe it is you who are 
going to put me in water,” she cried. 

“ Put you in water! ” puzzled Cecilia. 

Whereupon Elizabeth laughed and ex- 
plained. “I’m awfully wilted,” she added, 
half jesting, half serious, “ but I think I am 
going to revive. Oh, Miss Cecilia, I am so 
happy! Do you mind if I kiss you just 
once? ” 


CHAPTER V 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 

Friday evening at dinner Cecilia asked 
Mrs. Page if she had any objection to her 
taking Elizabeth down to the parsonage on 
the following day since there were no lessons. 
Mrs. Page looked dubious, and Elizabeth 
waited breathlessly for the verdict, half pre- 
pared to fly into a rage if it was unfavorable. 
But help came from an unexpected quarter. 

“ Certainly Elizabeth can go,” announced 
Mr. Page, with rare decisiveness of manner. 
“ It will be very good for her.” He had not 
been able to forget Elizabeth’s wail of lone- 
someness, and this seemed an excellent ar- 
rangement to him. 

“ Thank you,” said Cecilia quietly, quite 
as if this were the answer she had been ex- 
pecting and the source from which she had 
expected it. 


58 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


59 


“ Wasn’t it lovely! ” chuckled Elizabeth, 
when she and Cecilia were alone together, 
later in the evening. 4 4 Aunt Evelyn had her 
mouth all set to refuse. I know she thinks 
it frightfully unladylike of me to want to 
play with boys. But Uncle simply rose to 
the occasion, bless him! There wasn’t a 
thing left for her to say.” 

“ Perhaps she would have consented any- 
way,” said Cecilia. “ I hope so.” 

4 4 Don’t believe it,” persisted Elizabeth. 
4 4 Oh, there is my star. Do you know I 
wished on it last Sunday night and to-mor- 
row is only Saturday and my wish is coming 
true. Isn’t that wonderful? Oh, dear, I 
wish to-morrow were here. I know I sha’n’t 
sleep a wink to-night for thinking about 
it.” 

But she did for all that, was fast asleep, 
indeed almost as soon as her head struck the 
pillow, and never woke until the sun was 
streaming into the pink and white room, and 
she turned over and saw Cecilia all dressed, 
in the doorway, smiling at her. 

u Oh, my goodness! Is it late? ” she 


60 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


asked, giving a delicious lazy stretch and 
yawn. 

“ Middling. Hop up, little Princess. The 
day is ours. ’ ’ 

It was indeed, and such a day too — all 
blue sky and sunshine, bloom and birdsong 
— and such heart happiness that Elizabeth 
was nigh to bursting with sheer joy. 

“ Happy, honey? ” asked Cecilia need- 
lessly, smiling down at the starry-eyed, pink- 
cheeked little maid who wriggled ecstatically 
beside her in the dog-cart. There was no 
doubt that Elizabeth had revived. 

“ Bubbling over,” admitted Elizabeth. 
“ I can’t believe it is really I. Oh, look! 
There is Don and the other one — Bupert,” 
she cried, as a turn of the road revealed the 
two oldest members of the Clan, in the 
ravine below, equipped with baskets and rods 
and evidently bound on a fishing expedition. 
The fishermen looked up, however, and sig- 
nalled to them to wait. 

“ What luck? ” asked Cecilia, after the 
boys arrived flushed and breathless from the 
scramble up the steep bank, and Rupert 










. 























THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


61 


had been formally presented to the Prin- 
cess. 

“No luck at all. Water’s too high,” said 
Don. 

“ Priceless luck! ” smiled Rupert, with 
teasing eyes bent on his pretty cousin. “ I 
say, fair ladies, whither away? ” 

“ We are going to see a family 
named Wallace,” answered Cecilia gravely. 
“ Know them? ” 

“ Bad lot! ” warned Rupert, with equal 
gravity. “ The oldest son is rather a decent 
fellow, but the rest of them — Ouch! ” as a 
summary pinch cut short further aspersions 
of the family in question. “ Hello, Don! I 
forgot you were here. I say, let’s go home 
with these damsels, if they will let us.” 

Elizabeth waited anxiously for Don’s an- 
swer, for half the fun of the excursion would 
be gone if he was not to be at home ! 

“ Sure. I was going to propose the same 
myself,” he assented with satisfactory 
promptness. 

“ But, Rupert, your vacation is almost 
over and you may not get another chance to 


62 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


go fishing,” warned Cecilia. “ Don’t change 
your plans on our account.” 

Solemnly Rupert produced a penny. 

“ Heads, we go home with you. Tails, you 
come home with us,” he announced, coolly 
proceeding to flip the coin in Cecilia’s lap. 

“ Oh, which is it? ” burst out Elizabeth 
leaning forward eagerly, then blushed and 
subsided as Don and Cecilia laughed and she 
realized that there had been no alternative. 

Rupert proffered her the penny Indian 
side up. 

“ I always come out ahead,” he assured 
her. 

‘ ‘ And the tail is always behind, ’ ’ chuckled 
Don. 

“ Spare us,” begged Cecilia. “ Put up 
the other seat, Don. If you will stop making 
abominable jokes, you may ride with us.” 

The trap having accommodated itself to 
four instead of two occupants, the journey 
was resumed and they soon reached their 
destination. Elizabeth was inclined to feel 
a little shy and strange at first among so 
many boys whose lingo of slang and nonsense 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


63 


she could not quite keep up with though she 
liked it immensely. Nobody talked nonsense 
at the Pines. But they were all so friendly 
and natural, and accepted her so simply as 
one of themselves, that she was soon quite 
at her ease and having a royal good time. 

There was certainly no dearth of enter- 
tainment. She went into raptures over the 
funny fluffy little chicks, and laughed heart- 
ily at the clumsy big-footed, broad-hilled yel- 
low ducklings who waddled about so dis- 
tractedly. She enjoyed a romantic interest 
in Juliet, the drooping and melancholy pea 
hen, who was reported to be in a sad state, 
pining away for grief over her lost Romeo 
who had recently gone to a tragic death in 
a rain barrel. Don rather destroyed the sen- 
timental glamor however by assuring her 
that “ Julie et ” a greedy breakfast only 
that morning. Then there was a strenuous 
and exciting search for a stolen hen’s nest, 
in which Elizabeth joined eagerly, after hav- 
ing it explained that the eggs were not really 
stolen, as she had imagined, but simply se- 
questered by the hen herself in the interests 


64 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


of race propagation. The nest was finally 
discovered in the manger of mild old Nance, 
the family steed, who watched them with 
bland curiosity as they rifled it under her 
nose, and Martha Washington, the disap- 
pointed mother, fluttered about frantically 
and roused Elizabeth’s sympathy. She was 
taken on a visit of ceremony to Christopher 
Columbus, Robin’s venerable goat, who, she 
was proudly assured, would eat anything 
from shredded wheat biscuit to shoes, thus 
exhibiting what Don called “ remarkable 
catholicity of taste.” She exclaimed with 
delight over the marvellous trick perform- 
ances of Czar, Don’s Russian poodle, who 
looked like an animated and magnified dish- 
mop during the process of the show. Even 
more exciting was the Gymnasium, an old 
carriage-house which had been fitted up with 
mysterious ropes and beams and suspended 
wooden triangles and horizontal ladders, 
upon which the boys performed strange and 
breath-taking feats for her delectation. 

It was all a wonderful new world, but an 
incredibly interesting and delightful one, and 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


65 


when they were summoned to dinner her 
cheeks were so rosy and her eyes so bright 
that one would hardly have believed her the 
same heavy-hearted sad-eyed little maid who 
had sat so primly miserable in church only 
a week ago. 

66 Did you ever see such a change? ” Ce- 
cilia whispered to her aunt. 

‘ ‘ The prescription certainly works. It is 
good to see her so happy. Don ’t let the boys 
tire her out, though. She isn’t used to their 
strenuous pace and they are unmerciful in 
their energy.” 

Following this hint Cecilia captured her 
young charge after dinner and proposed a 
rest and breathing spell. 

“ Oh, but Miss Cecilia,” protested Eliza- 
beth, “ Don was just going to take me over 
to the bowling alley. It is only a little way, 
and I am not a bit tired.” 

Cecilia smiled, but shook her head. 

“ You are more tired than you know, little 
girl. It will never do to wear you out the 
very first holiday. Bowling will keep for an- 
other Saturday.” 


66 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Oh, I say, Cis, that is too bad,” objected 
Don, who was rather enjoying initiating the 
Princess, and, incidentally, showing his own 
prowess. “ Elizabeth says she isn’t tired.” 

“ Not a single bit,” seconded the Princess. 
“ Come on, Don. I’m ready.” 

But Don w T aited, seeing that consent was 
not won. 

“ Not to-day, dear,” said Cecilia with gen- 
tle finality. 

Elizabeth’s cheeks grew redder and her 
lips puckered themselves into something 
perilously resembling a pout. She was just 
weary and excited enough to be thoroughly 
unreasonable and to resent accordingly the 
curtailment of her royal pleasure. 

“ I didn’t come to rest but to have a good 
time,” she flashed rebelliously. “ I am not 
tired, and I want to bowl. I am ready, Don, ’ ’ 
she repeated significantly. 

But Don did not stir. He had been brought 
pip to obey, and was honestly sorry to have 
precipitated the clash. Still, he was a little 
curious to see how the affair would end, for 
Cecilia in her role of commander-in-chief 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


67 


was new to him. It must be confessed that 
Cecilia herself was a little nervous, espe- 
cially as Rupert, as well as Don, was witness 
of the scene. 

“ Elizabeth, dear,” she said softly, 
“ don’t make it hard for us both. Your 
Aunt trusted me to take care of you. I want 
to show you Auntie’s ‘ Chamber of Peace,’ 
as we call it. It is a magic room. Come.” 

Elizabeth never quite knew what made her 
give in — whether it was Miss Cecilia ’s gen- 
tle firmness or the consciousness that she 
would fall in Don’s estimation if she per- 
sisted. At any rate, she chose the better part 
of valor and yielded gracefully with a trem- 
ulous little smile. 

‘ ‘ The 1 Chamber of Peace ’ ! That sounds 
lovely. I’d like to see it, if I may,” and she 
linked her arm in Cecilia’s quite as if no 
thought of any other course of conduct had 
presented itself. 

“ Whew! ” whistled Don, when the girls 
had gone. “ I breathe again. Pretty near 
put my foot in it, didn’t I? Wonder what 
Cis would have done if she had refused flat. ’ ’ 


68 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


44 Cecilia has a way of making people do 
as she liked if they don’t want to feel too 
mighty small to live,” remarked Rupert. 

Don grinned comprehendingly. 

4 4 She gave it to you the other night, didn ’t 
she? ” 

44 How do you know? ” shortly. 

44 Straws and the wind. I noticed you 
threw away your cigarette to-day before you 
climbed up the bank.” 

44 You know too hanged much,” grunted 
his brother. 44 She needn’t worry though, 
I ’ll be in training the rest of the year. ’ ’ 

4 4 What happens when a fellow breaks 
training? ” 

Rupert shrugged. 

44 The way of the quitter. Fizz! Bang! 
All over. The crew knows him no more.” 

44 I see,” soberly. 44 I’d hate to be a quit- 
ter.” 

In the meantime Cecilia had led the way 
to a little up-stairs room. 

44 Oh,” cried Elizabeth, as she paused on 
the threshold, 44 I don’t wonder you call it 
the 4 Chamber of Peace.’ ” 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 69 

Probably there was scarcely a room at the 
Pines so simple as the one she was entering 
now, but certainly there was none that ex- 
haled so definite an atmosphere. The rug 
on the floor was of soft blending grey and 
green shades. The walls were dove grey up 
to the space where long-stemmed, cool green 
leaves and great golden-hearted white water- 
lilies began. On the grey hung an oval mir- 
ror in a silver frame and a few landscapes, 
a quiet woodland scene with tall grave trees 
and a still stream, a fine Japanese print of 
the sacred mountain, an exquisite sketch of 
a moonlit sea and a single ship, a Sir Gala- 
had, a beautiful Annunciation angel with lil- 
ies in her hand, and a wonderful Sistine Ma- 
donna completed the number of pictures. 
The furniture consisted of a low green Mis- 
sion desk with a little straight chair before 
it, a small green wicker table on which were 
a few books and a slender crystal vase hold- 
ing daffodils, a comfortable wicker rocker 
with green and white cretonne upholstering 
and a tempting looking couch whose cover 
and pillows of green linen repeated the lily 


70 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


motif. Through pale cream-colored curtains 
the sun fell gratefully mellowed, and outside 
in the budding apple-tree a song-sparrow of- 
fered glad thanksgiving. 

“ Do you like it? ” asked Cecilia. 

“ It is wonderful,’ ’ in a hushed voice. 

“ I think so, too. It always seems the 
very expression of Aunt Eleanor’s sweet 
serene self. She keeps it for her refuge 
when things get too noisy and strenuous 
down-stairs. I have seen her come down 
from here with a look as if she had been with 
God and I think she had. She lives very 
close to Him always.” 

“ Oh dear, I don’t belong in a place like 
this. I’m too — fretful. ” 

“ It is a magic room, as I said. It will help 
you to belong. Lie down and see.” 

Elizabeth obeyed, and realized, to her sur- 
prise, that she was very glad of the quietness. 
Was she really tired after all? It was very 
nice to lie still and shut her eyes. After a 
minute her eyes opened and her hand stole 
softly into Miss Cecilia’s, which closed over 
it gently. 


THE PRINCESS DESCENDS 


71 


“ I am sorry. I was horrid and disagree- 
able, and I was tired, though truly I didn’t 
know it.” 

“ I know, dear.” 

“ I suppose I am spoiled and selfish and 
naughty, just as they say. I must be, to he 
bad when you are so good to me and I love 
you so.” 

“ Do you love me enough to believe that 
I shall never ask you to do anything that 
isn’t right and best for you so far as I can 
see? ” 

4 ‘ Oh, I do, Miss Cecilia. Truly I do. And 
I did give in, didn’t I? Don wouldn’t have 
liked me so well if I hadn’t, would he? ” 
curiously. 

“No, Elizabeth, honestly I don’t believe 
he would. You see, obedience is one of the 
first laws of the Clan.” 

“ But aren’t they ever bad and cross and 
selfish or anything? ” wailed Elizabeth, hope- 
lessly. 

“ Oh, yes. They aren’t perfect, by any 
means, as you will have plenty of chance to 
see as you know them better. But there are 


72 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


so many of them that they get their angles 
rubbed off.” 

“ I see. Perhaps if Aunt Evelyn will let 
me come down here often enough I can get 
rid of some of my angles.” 

“ Very likely. Now then shut your eyes, 
little Princess, and I’ll read to you for a 
while.” 

She chose Arnold’s exquisitely musical 
“ Forsaken Merman.” Purposely she read 
softly and a hit monotonously, and before 
long there was no need of reading for Eliza- 
beth was fast asleep. Softly Cecilia rose and 
crept out of the room, leaving the Princess 
asleep in the magic chamber. 


CHAPTER VI 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 

When she returned to the living-room 
Cecilia found Rupert its sole occupant. 
Promptly he threw down his book and made 
room for her beside him on the couch, but 
she seated herself deliberately in a chair 
across the room. 

“ Still pernickity? ” he inquired with up- 
lifted eyebrows. “ You might he a little 
more friendly considering you won’t see me 
again for nearly three months.” 

“ What do you want me to do? I can’t 
take back any of the things I said the other 
night because I haven’t changed my mind in 
the least.” 

“ What a stiff little Puritan you are! ” 
he complained. “ I don’t believe our Geor- 
gia grandmother would have been so hard on 
a chap for just naturally liking a bit of fun 
now and then.” 


73 


74 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ There are all kinds of fun,” retorted 
Cecilia. “ Some of it you can afford and. 
some you cannot. Why, Rupert Wallace, 
your father wouldn’t get himself a new over- 
coat last winter so you could have more 
money to waste! ” 

“ Oh, I say, you needn’t knock so hard. 
Of course I know Dad is a brick, and I’ll 
make it all up to him some day. See if I 
don’t! ” 

“ You’d better begin right away then. 
Oh, I don’t mean money. You can make up 
in other ways — by being different. ’ ’ 

“ Don’t preach. A girl doesn’t know any- 
thing about a man’s temptations. Anyway, 
I have to walk the strait and ( narrow the 
rest of the year in order* to keep on the 
crew. ’ ’ 

“ But your debts? ” soberly. 

“ Oh, I’ll get a job next summer and clear 
’em off. They aren’t much in comparison 
with what the other fellows owe. Hon- 
est, they aren’t. You should see Jake’s 
bills.” 

“ Jake has a rich father, and' a foolish one, 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


75 


too, or lie wouldn’t pay such bills for bis son. 
Oli, Rupert, I didn’t go at you the right way 
at all the other night. I was so troubled and 
disgusted that I was cross, and rubbed you 
the wrong way instead of helping you as I 
meant to do. But don’t you see it is because 
I care so much that I can’t bear to be disap- 
pointed in you! Please, Rupert, understand 
and don’t be sulky about it.” 

For a moment he was silent, and Cecilia 
was terribly afraid she had made things 
worse instead of better, but suddenly he came 
to his feet and crossed over to her. 

“ See here, Cecilia, you are a trump, and 
it’s I who ought to apologize for the other 
night and I do. And I promise ’pon honor 
to keep as straight as I can the rest of the 
spring. Are you 4 sasified ’! ” he concluded 
whimsically quoting Robin. 

Cecilia gave him a long steady look. 

“ Yes, Rupert, I am. When a Wallace 
says 4 ’pon honor ’ it means something. 
Thank you, Chief.” 

She held out her hand and he took it with 
a grip that nearly crushed it. 


76 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Much obliged. I say, Cecilia, write me 
pretty often, will you? I — I need it.” 

“ Of course. Now I must run and see if 
the Princess is awake.” 

“ You have a good many heathen on 
your hands, Miss Civilizing Influence,” he 
gibed. 

“ Oh, Miss Cecilia, wasn’t I silly to go to 
sleep? ” said the Princess as Cecilia entered 
the Chamber of Peace. 

“ Very wise, I should say. It was the spell 
of the room. The boys are in the Gym. Do 
you want to come? ” 

“ Yes indeed! ” springing up with alac- 
rity. “ I am ready for anything.” 

She took a peep at herself in the oval mir- 
ror and settled the scarlet bows in her dark 
hair, reflecting that Don couldn’t make fun 
of her fine feathers to-day as she was dressed 
in a simple blue sailor suit. When they 
reached the Gymnasium, popularly known as 
the “ Gym,” they found Robin skipping 
rope, Keith curled up on a wooden bench, 
deep in a book, and Billy and Don “ stump- 
ing ” each other to various feata. Don 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


77 


swung down from the boom and came to 
meet the new arrivals. 

“ Can you do stunts? ” he asked Eliza- 
beth. 

She shook her head regretfully. 

“ No, but I can learn.* ’ 

He surveyed her critically. 

“ Bet you haven’t much muscle,” he com- 
mented with boyish frankness. 

Elizabeth flushed, irritated by his air of 
cool masculine superiority. 

“ Perhaps I haven’t but I reckon I have as 
many brains as you have, Don Wallace.” 

He laughed good-naturedly, rather pleased 
than otherwise to have struck fire. 

“ That might not be saying much, I 
reckon, ’ ’ he imitated her soft Southern drawl 
exaggeratedly. 

“ At least I know better than to make fun 
of a guest,” she shot back. 

Don colored a little, realizing that there 
was some truth in the accusation, though he 
had been only teasing. 

“ I wasn’t. I guess you’d smile though if 
you weren’t used to hearing 4 reckon ’ pro- 


78 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


nounced in the linked sweetness long-drawn 
out fashion.” 

“ Perhaps Elizabeth finds 4 guess ’ just as 
queer,” suggested Cecilia slyly. 

“ There! ” triumphantly from Elizabeth. 

“ Now, Cissy! Two against one isn’t fair. 
I can’t help talking like a Yankee since I am 
one. ’ ’ 

“ I shouldn’t think you’d boast about 
that,” scornfully, still unmollified. 

4 4 Don’t see why I shouldn’t. I’m awfully 
proud of being one.” 

“ The Yankees were thieves in the war.” 

4 4 Thieves! ” echoed Don, really angry 
himself now. “ My Grandfather Wallace 
fought in the Civil War. But I reckon he 
wasn’t a thief, for all that.” 

“ The slaves were ours, and you took 
them. I guess that is what some people 
would call stealing.” 

“ That is a lie! ” snapped Don. 

‘ i Don ! ’ ’ reproached Cecilia. 

But the tempest in the teapot was not to 
be quelled. 

“ ’Tisn’t,” contradicted Elizabeth. “ And 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


79 


I think you are the rudest person I ever saw 
in my life, and I’ll never speak to you again, 
so there! ” 

“ Delighted. I’m sure I hope you won’t,” 
and coolly turning his back upon her he 
marched away. 

The angry tears filled Elizabeth’s eyes. 
She had not meant to go so far, but he had 
been horrid. She stole a glance at Cecilia, 
who looked grave and sorry. What a miser- 
able mix-up, and over nothing, too! She 
began to wish she had kept her temper. Be- 
tween them they had certainly spoiled all 
the fun. 

“ Oh, Don! ” called Robin, “ lift me up so 
I can reach the boom. I want to swing.” 

“ No,” said Don curtly. He was ashamed 
and uncomfortable, even more acutely con- 
scious than Elizabeth of the absurdity of the 
quarrel, but too proud to say so, therefore 
he was undeniably cross. 

“ Please,” persisted Robin. “ I want to 
drefful. ’ ’ 

“ S’pose you do. Come on then,” and 
swooping down upon his small brother he de- 


80 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


posited him bodily on top of the boom some 
five feet from the floor. 

“ I don’t mean like that,” protested Robin. 
‘ ‘ I want to swing the way you do. ’ ’ 

“ Swing, then,” retorted Don, and flung 
himself into a trapeze with his back to the 
boom. 

Poor Robin, unused to such summary 
treatment, for Don was ordinarily the kind- 
est of big brothers, gave one look at Don’s 
uncompromising back and another at the 
floor which seemed a horrible distance. He 
wanted to cry out to somebody to take him 
down but no one was looking and he hated 
to seem a “ baby,” a terrible term of re- 
proach in the Clan. His boom travelling was 
usually done with one of the big boys behind 
to catch him at any moment. He felt cau- 
tiously along the boom. Perhaps he could 
swing down. Wouldn’t Don be surprised? 

There was a scream, a bump, and Don cer- 
tainly was surprised. 

He had meant to leave Robin only a min- 
ute or two, just to teach him not to be such 
a tease, and had not had the slightest idea 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


81 


that the small boy would stir until he came 
back for him, but Robin had not waited. 
Cecilia flew to the rescue, but Don was be- 
fore her, the ruddy color all swept out of his 
face as he knelt beside Robin who lay very 
still. It was only a moment however before 
the round blue eyes opened and looked up 
into Don’s anxious ones. 

“ Did — get — down,,” he murmured a 
little dazedly. 

4 ‘ Should say you did. I say, old man, are 
you all right? ” 

“ Guess so,” sitting up and rubbing his 
head. “ Feels funny,” he volunteered. 

“ I should think it would,” said Cecilia. 
‘ ‘ Poor Robin ! How did you ever get up 
there? Never mind,” seeing Don’s face. 
“ We won’t ask questions now. Carry him 
in, Don. I’ll go ahead and prepare Auntie.” 

It was a sober procession that filed into 
the house where Mrs. Wallace examined her 
son’s cranium with the calmness born of 
long experience of bumps, bruises and 
broken heads. Elizabeth couldn’t help think- 
ing how her aunt would have gone into a 


82 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


spasm under the circumstances and required 
more attention than the victim himself. 

“ All right, Sonny,” said Mrs. Wallace, 
after a liberal application of witch hazel and 
cold water to the injured head. “ Does it 
hurt much! ” 

“ No-o,” and Robin bravely gulped back 
a sob like the stout-hearted clansman he was. 

“ Those bumps would keep a phrenologist 
guessing,” remarked Rupert, who had ap- 
peared on the scene. 

“ What’s a phren — what do you call 
him? ” demanded Robin. 

Rupert laughed. 

“ He is perfectly normal, Mother. He 
asks questions. How under the sun did he 
manage to come a cropper like that? ” 

Don’s face was scarlet. 

“ I put him on the boom and left him,” 
he admitted wretchedly. 

“ Well, upon my word! You young idiot, 
you — ’ ’ 

“ Hush, Rupert. Don is sorry enough, I 
am sure. We won’t speak of that now.” 

Elizabeth stood by, a temporarily forgot- 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


83 


ten and much interested spectator. Of 
course she was very angry at Don, but now 
that he was in trouble she could not help 
feeling a little sorry for him he looked so 
abjectly miserable. 

Mrs. Wallace turned to her with a reas- 
suring smile. 

“ Don’t be troubled, dear. We are used 
to all kinds of excitement here. I am very 
sorry it happened, though, to spoil your 
good time.” 

Elizabeth' had a guilty feeling that she was 
herself more than a little to blame for the 
accident. If she had not made Don angry 
he would not have vented his bad humor on 
poor Robin. 

“ Oh, don’t mind me,” she managed to 
answer. “ I am awfully sorry Robin was 
hurt though.” 

“ Cecilia, why don’t you all go into the 
other room and have some music? ” sug- 
gested Mrs. Wallace, longing to cuddle her 
baby and fearing to offend his masculine 
dignity before witnesses. 

Accordingly they all adjourned, and there 


84 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


was singing in which everybody joined ex- 
cept Billy, whose voice was changing and 
did not therefore admit of public perform- 
ances, and Don who threw himself on to the 
couch and picked up a book without a word. 
After some urging Keith consented to play 
for them and Elizabeth was enraptured by 
his music. 

“ Won’t you come up to the Pines and 
play for Uncle Daniel? ” she begged. “ He 
would love to hear you.” Then, as Keith 
looked dubious. “ He plays the violin beau- 
tifully himself. But he has a wonderful pipe 
organ, and that is Vdiat he likes best of all. 
He is a great musician and studied for years 
abroad. ’ ’ 

“ Would he play for me? ” demanded 
Keith, forgetting shyness in interest. 

“ Why, yes, I am sure he would. Uncle 
Daniel is very kind.” 

“ I’ll come,” rejoined Keith briefly. 

‘ ‘ Do, and bring your violin. Come — 
Miss Cecilia, can’t he come Monday night? ” 

“ If your aunt has no objections,” agreed 
Cecilia. 


CLASHES AND CRUSHES 


85 


“ Can I? ” asked Eupert. “ I am leaving 
Tuesday.’ ’ 

Cecilia nodded assent, and so it was ar- 
ranged. If Don, sprawled on the couch, 
apparently absorbed in his book, heard and 
was hurt at being excluded from the invita- 
tion he made no sign. The carriage came 
soon for Cecilia and Elizabeth, and though 
Don went out on the porch to see the guests 
off, his farewell was limited to a curt nod. 

“ Well, dear? ” asked Cecilia as they rode 
home together, “ has it been as pleasant as 
you anticipated? ” 

“ Oh, yes,” but the tone was a little 
guarded. 

“ I am sorry you and Don quarrelled. He 
has very good manners usually.” 

“ I suppose it was all my fault,” resent- 
fully. 

“ No, I don’t think that. He was a good 
deal to blame, and I know he is ashamed of 
himself. But, dear, you must learn to stand 
a little teasing if you are going to have 
young friends. You must find out how to 
give and take good humoredly. ,? 


86 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Elizabeth did not answer. She knew Miss 
Cecilia was right, though she would not have 
cared to admit it at the moment. Alto- 
gether, indeed her first day with the Clan 
had given her plenty to think about. 


CHAPTER VII 


A RAINY SUNDAY 

The next morning, Elizabeth awoke to the 
steady drip of rain, and reflected how very 
dismal it would have made her feel a week 
ago. To-day she did not care in the least, 
for she had her beloved Miss Cecilia, and 
the dreary spectre of loneliness was ban- 
ished. Lying in bed, she reviewed yester- 
day’s adventures and wished with a sigh 
she had not been so foolish as to quarrel 
with Don. Her resentment against him had 
taken wings over night and she looked for- 
ward to meeting him at church and extend- 
ing, or, rather, receiving the olive branch. 
For half unconsciously she expected that the 
active steps for a reconciliation should come 
from him. After a fashion of her own she 
mapped out a little program, a sort of imag- 
87 


88 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


inary game of consequences, consisting of 
“ wliat lie said ” and “ what she said.” It 
was a very satisfactory dialogue as she ar- 
ranged it in anticipation, a dialogue in which 
Don was to play the star part of penitent 
and she herself came in, in the role of the 
gracious dispenser of pardon. Accordingly 
it was rather a disappointment later to find 
that Don was not present with the others at 
church, a fact that postponed indefinitely the 
olive branch performance. 

After the service Cecilia went to ask after 
Robin, who was also absent. 

“ He was rather shaken by the fall and I 
thought he would be better off remaining 
quietly at home, especially as Don offered to 
stay and keep him company,” explained 
Mrs. Wallace. 

‘ ‘ I see.” Cecilia nodded understand- 
ingly. “ Poor Don! He would have been 
heart-broken if Robin had been seriously 
hurt.” 

“ He felt badly enough as it was.” Mrs. 
Wallace turned to Elizabeth who was stand- 
ing by, shy but intensely interested. “ I 


A RAINY SUNDAY 


89 


am afraid from Don’s account of himself 
that he wasn’t a very gallant host yesterday. 
You must come and try him again, another 
Saturday, and I think I can promise you will 
fare better.” 

“ Oh! ” cried Elizabeth. “ It was mostly 
my fault. Didn’t Don tell you? ” 

“ No. He took all the blame on himself, 
where I am sure most of it belonged, espe- 
cially as you were his guest.” 

“ But I wasn’t a pretty behaved guest,” 
honestly. “Iam awfully sorry.” 

“ So is Don,” smiled Don’s mother, 
“ And I hope you will show you forgive his 
rudeness by coming to see us very soon 
again. ’ ’ 

“ Thank you. I should love to come, if 
Auntie will let me. And, Mrs. Wallace, 
please don’t blame Don, for really and truly 
it was more my fault than his.” 

So much for the program. 

In the meantime Cecilia was telling Keith 
that he was especially invited to the Pines, 
the following evening, with his violin. 

“ And so I am to come in the trail of the 


90 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


genius? ” inquired Eupert. “So be it. I 
accept the terms for your sake, sweet 
coz.” 

“ Don’t be more of a goose than you just 
naturally need to be,” retorted Cecilia in 
return for this piece of exaggerated gallan- 
try. 

The rain kept up persistently, and Eliza- 
beth, who had been hoping it would clear so 
that they might drive in the afternoon, was 
a little inclined to resent the weather’s inter- 
fering with her plans. But, after all, it was 
rather cosy and nice in the little sitting-room 
up-stairs, where a crackling fire blazed on 
the hearth and there were books and a lus- 
cious box of candy that Uncle Daniel had 
thoughtfully had sent up. Evidently even 
rainy days would have their compensations 
in this delightful new era. • 

“ Isn’t it funny,” said Elizabeth, sud- 
denly looking up from her book after an 
interval of silence, “ that last week I didn’t 
even know your name and now it seems as 
if I had known you always? Oh, I am so 
glad — so glad to have you,” and she 


A RAINY SUNDAY 


91 


reached over to give Cecilia’s hand a happy 
squeeze. 

“ And I am just as glad to have you. I 
have coveted you all winter. You made me 
think so much of my little sister Eleanor.’ ’ 

“ Have you a sister? ” in surprise. 

‘ ‘ I had a sister, dear. She and my father 
were both killed in an automobile accident, 
last year, and my mother died only a few 
weeks later.” 

“ Why, Miss Cecilia! ” The quick tears 
were in Elizabeth’s eyes. “ I didn’t know. 
I am so sorry — so very, very sorry.” Im- 
pulsively she threw both arms about Ce- 
cilia’s neck. 

Cecilia had schooled herself to patience 
and self control, but the child’s passionate 
sympathy unlocked the gates, and before she 
knew it they were both crying together. But 
they were healing tears, not bitter ones, and 
neither was the worse for them. Cecilia was 
the first to recover herself. 

“ There, dear. I didn’t mean to make you 
sorry. Don’t cry, dear.” 

“ I c-can’t help it. It is so dreadful. Oh, 


92 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Miss Cecilia, why does God let such things 
be! It is cruel.” 

“ No, dear, God isn’t cruel. It is just 
that He has a bigger plan than we can under- 
stand. We don’t need to understand, I sup- 
pose. All we have to do is learn to be brave 
and cheerful.” 

“ But I don’t see how you can be. I 
should think you would have just cried your- 
self to death.” 

“ It did seem just at first as if I couldn’t 
stand it. But I had to keep on living 
whether I wanted to or not. Then when I 
came to stay with Uncle Rupert, he and Aunt 
Eleanor helped me so much. Of course, I 
couldn’t spoil the boys’ good times by selfish 
grieving, so I used to pretend I was happy, 
and after a while I found it wasn’t pretence 
at all — I really was happy, and though I 
had lost so much I had a great deal left.” 

“ You are wonderful, Miss Cecilia. Here 
I thought I was the most miserable person 
in the world, because my mother died and I 
had to come up North to live. I never even 
tried to pretend to be happy.” 


A RAINY SUNDAY 


93 


“ Happiness doesn’t depend nearly as 
much as we think on things outside of us. 
It comes from inside, a kind of radiance 
that first warms us and then goes out and 
warms other people. I didn’t learn that all 
at once myself. In fact, I am just beginning 
to learn it, but it is true, little Princess.” 

“ And here I have been sitting hack wait- 
ing for some one to come and warm me. I 
didn’t even try to warm myself, let alone 
other people. Poor Aunt Evelyn ! I believe 
she needs warming, and I know Uncle does. ’ ’ 

“ Very likely. Most of us do.” 

Just then the door opened and Ellen, the 
maid, appeared. 

“ If you please, Miss Carroll, there’s a 
dog down-stairs, with a paper in his mouth 
and he won ’t go away. The coachman thinks 
it is your cousin’s dog.” 

“ Czar! He must he bringing a message. 
Come, Elizabeth. Let’s go and see.” 

Sure enough, when they reached the back 
porch there stood Czar, drenched with rain 
but wriggling all over with delight. He 
went straight to Elizabeth, sniffing with his 


94 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


wet nose. Then with great deliberation he 
deposited the missive he carried at her feet, 
and gave vent to a short self-approving bark. 
Elizabeth tore off the heavy brown paper 
outside wrapping and discovered a folded 
strip of birch bark on which was written, 
“ To her Majesty, the Princess.’’ 

“ Why, it is for me! You funny blessed 
doggums! How did you ever know? ” 

Czar smiled as plainly as a dog ever 
smiled, and his faithful brown eyes, looking 
shrewdly up at Elizabeth, seemed to say that 
he could have revealed greater mysteries 
than these if he so chose. 

Elizabeth opened the birch-bark folder 
and found a small card on which was 
scrawled in a boyish hand: 

“ ‘ Unto him who doth repent 
Will the Princess fair relent ? 

Will she rain forgiveness on 
One who humbly signeth 

Don.’ ” 

“ Wasn’t that dear of him? ” cried Eliza- 
beth with shining eyes, as she gave Cecilia 


A RAINY SUNDAY 


95 


the card to read. “ Such a funny nice way 
to apologize, too, and just as if it wasn’t my 
fault at all.” 

“ That is very like Don. His temper is 
like a thunder-storm, short and sharp. I 
thought he would make amends somehow, 
and this was a bright, original way.” 

“ Wasn’t it? And wasn’t Czar the cutest 
thing to know it was for me? It is won- 
derful. ’ ’ 

“ Czar is pretty nearly human we think. 
Shall we send a message back? ” 

4 4 Oh, yes! What a splendid idea! Only 
I can’t write poetry.” 

“ Never mind. Just write a little note 
and ask him to come up with the others to- 
morrow night.” 

“ Oh, I will. I’ll run and write it this 
minute. Let’s ask cook to give Czar some- 
thing nice to eat though. He deserves a 
reward for coming out in all this rain and 
doing his errand so nicely.” 

If Elizabeth had dreamed that somebody 
else, too, had come out in the rain, that Don 
himself was waiting Czar’s return, under 


96 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


the rather meagre shelter of a pine-tree not 
far away, she might have taken less time to 
complete her note. Twenty minntes later 
Czar joined his master, evidently highly 
pleased with himself as he trotted up with 
a paper in his mouth. For a moment Don 
was afraid that his plan had gone astray, 
but he soon discovered that this was an an- 
swer and not the original message. 

“ Dear Don: — Weren’t we too silly for 
anything to quarrel over nothing? You 
can’t repent any harder than I do. I am 
awfully sorry I was so cross. Miss Cecilia 
says to ask you to come up with Rupert and 
Keith to-morrow night. Please do. I want 
you to very much. I think Czar is the dear- 
est, smartest dog that ever was, to carry 
messages so wonderfully. Do come to-mor- 
row night. Yours truly, 

“ Elizabeth Page.” 

So ran the letter which Don read and 
tucked away in his pocket, looking as if he 
found it perfectly satisfactory. 


A RAINY SUNDAY 


97 


“ All right, old man,” he said to Czar. 
“ You did a fine job. I am much obliged, 
and I’ll forgive you for keeping me waiting. 
Come on home now.” 

Nothing loth, Czar bounded away beside 
his companion, delighted that he was evi- 
dently in such high favor. 

“ How’s the weather? ” inquired Rupert, 
as Don appeared in the living-room a little 
later. 

“ ‘ Dem moist, unpleasant,’ ” he quoted 
back with a grin. Mrs. Wallace looked up 
from her book with a question in her eyes. 
She alone was in the secret of the diplomatic 
embassy. “ All right, Mother,” he re- 
sponded, dropping on to his favorite seat 
beside her. 

“ What conspiracy are you two in? ” 
teased Rupert. “ Must be mighty impor- 
tant business to take you out in all this 
downpour? ” 

“ ’Twasn’t yours, anyway,” Don re- 
minded him blandly. 


CHAPTER VIII 


AT THE PINES 

Mrs. Page had one of her bad headaches 
the next day and had been obliged to ask 
Cecilia to excuse her from appearing to 
receive the guests in the evening. Mr. Page, 
too, was invisible, and so the young people 
had things to themselves. After his some- 
what masterful fashion, Rupert had appro- 
priated Cecilia’s attention and Keith crept 
shyly into a corner, wishing devoutly that 
he had not come. Hence Don and Elizabeth 
were left to entertain each other, a slightly 
embarrassing situation under the circum- 
stances. With the adaptability of her sex, 
Elizabeth was the first to recover, and 
plunged without preliminary into the midst 
of things. 

“ I was so afraid you wouldn’t get my 
note and wouldn’t come,” she told him. 


AT THE PINES 


99 


“ Oh, Czar is a very reliable agent and 
wouldn’t dream of losing anything so im- 
portant as the polite regrets of a Princess,” 
Don smiled back. 

44 But how did you make him understand 
it was for me? He wouldn’t let any one else 
have the message.” 

4 4 Czar understands. Besides, I let him 
smell of this,” producing a crumpled little 
handkerchief. 44 You dropped it in the Gym. 
I told him the message was for you and 
pointed to the house and he knew.” 

44 Pointed! Don, where were you? ” 

44 Pining without the gates,” with a pun- 
ning emphasis on the first word. 

44 In all that rain! Don Wallace! Why 
didn’t you come up to the house? ” 

Don’s eyes twinkled. 

44 Hadn’t been invited. Besides, I didn’t 
dare until I had made peace with your Maj- 
esty. ’ ’ 

44 I never stay angry over night.” 

44 I’ll make a note of that for future ref- 
erence. I say, Princess, you will come down 
next Saturday, won’t you? ” he urged. 


100 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Of course I will, if I can. I want to 
dreadfully.’ ’ 

“ Good! I can’t go in the Gym, though.” 
“ Why not? ” wondering. 

For a moment he examined the pattern 
of the Oriental rug assiduously, then he 
looked up frankly. 

“ You see, it is this way,” he explained. 
“ When we had the Gym fixed, Mother was 
afraid we would get hurt, so Dad made us 
promise that we older ones would look after 
the rest. You know I smashed my promise 
to smithereens Saturday, and Dad told me 
to stay out of the Gym for a week.” 

“ I see,” said Elizabeth, much interested. 
“ Don’t you simply hate to be told you can’t 
do things? Doesn’t it make you want to go 
and do them right away? It does me.” 

Don laughed. 

“ I might want to, but I guess I wouldn’t 

— not in the Wallace family.” 

“ Is your father awfully strict? I used to 
think I should be dreadfully afraid of him, 
but the other day he was so kind and funny 

— nice funny — that I simply love him! ” 


AT THE PINES 


101 


4 4 He is kind and funny, but I guess lie is 
what you would call strict, too. He looks 
the part though, and one is prepared for the 
worst. Mother is the deceptive one. She 
looks as if she were too sweet to do anything 
but smile at you, but in her way she is as 
strict as Dad, and can make you feel like 
seeking a hole in the ground like the worm 
you are. Gee! ” he shrugged reminiscently. 
44 However, on the whole, my parents are 
quite satisfactory,” he added with a twinkle, 
44 though they do cause me a lot of trouble. 
Speaking of trouble, Keith looks as jolly as 
a tombstone.” 

44 Dear me,” sighed Elizabeth, horrified at 
her remissness as a hostess. 44 Miss Cecilia, 
sha’n’t we go into the music-room and have 
Keith play for us, if he will? ” 

Keith would have liked to refuse, but 
probably the organ was in there and he did 
not want to go home without seeing it. He 
was doomed, however, to disappointment. 
The great organ was not visible, though 
there was a grand piano, a harp and several 
violins. He felt distinctly cheated. Cecilia 


102 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


sat down at the piano and Keith rather sulk- 
ily drew out his violin. Once the instru- 
ment was in his hands, however, the shy- 
ness vanished as usual and the rippling 
melody of the “ Spring Song ” filled the 
room. 

Soon the portieres were swept abruptly 
aside and Mr. Page stood in the doorway, 
watching the performer hungrily. Keith did 
not see him, and played on, absorbed in the 
music until the last chord died away, and he 
looked up startled and dismayed at -the pres- 
ence of a stranger and a great musician at 
that. The old man drew his hand across his 
forehead with a swift agitated gesture, then 
strode forward to where the boy stood 
abashed and frightened. 

“ Where did you learn to play like that? ” 
he demanded. 

“ I don’t know. I — I can’t help play- 
ing,” desperately. 

“ Do you know the ‘ Chopin Nocturne in 
F ’? Yes? Pardon me, Miss Carroll, may 
I take your place? ” 

The listeners fairly held their breath at 


AT THE PINES 


103 


the exquisiteness of the thing the hoy and 
the man created between them. At last it 
ended and Keith laid down his violin with 
a quivering sigh as if he found it hard to 
come back to earth. Mr. Page swung around 
and shot a keen gaze at Rupert. 

“ Does your father know what that boy 
can do? Does he realize he has a gift like 
that to develop? ” 

“ Yes, sir, I think he does. He always 
tries to have Keith take lessons when there 
is any one in town to give them. But I am 
not sure that he looks at it the way you do. 
I don’t believe he is anxious for a musical 
career for Keith.” 

“ Anxious! He won’t be able to help him- 
self. The boy will never be fit for anything 
else. He ought to study at once with the 
best masters.” 

u But there is no one in Eiverside just 
now. Mr. Abbott isn’t just — ” 

“ Abbott! I should say not. I said a 
master not a machine.” 

The old man’s violence amused Rupert a 
little, but he spoke seriously enough. 


104 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ I hope Keith’s turn will come when Don 
and I are oft Father’s hands.” 

“ You are in college? ” 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ Whether you are fit for it or not, I sup- 
pose. You and Donald must have your book 
education whether or not your brother 
starves for his kind,” testily. 

Rupert colored a little at this arraignment. 
He wondered if there were not some truth 
in it. He knew himself to be f#r less “ fit ” 
in the old man’s sense of the word for col- 
lege than Keith was for a musical training. 
Was he selfishly taking what belonged by 
right of genius to his brother? 

“ But Keith is only thirteen,” said Ce- 
cilia, coming to the rescue. “ He has to go 
to school himself for several years before he 
can devote himself exclusively to music.” 

“ Well! Well! Your father knows his 
own business, I suppose,” grudgingly to 
Rupert. “ But if he were my son he 
wouldn’t waste an hour in getting to work. 
The boy has a future if he is given half a 
chance. You say your father isn’t anxious 


AT THE PINES 


105 


for a musical career for Keith? Why not? 
Not respectable enough? ” 

“ Well, yes,’’ admitted Rupert, “ I 
shouldn’t wonder if he did feel that way, 
though I never heard him say so.” 

“ The same miserable old prejudices! 
WTien shall we outgrow them? ” fumed the 
old musician. Then he turned sharply back 
to Keith, who had been drinking in the con- 
versation with fascinated eagerness. “ How 
is it, young man? Can you fight them all 
and be an artist at any price? Can you pay 
the price? ” 

Keith looked straight up into the old 
man’s face and there was something of the 
same radiance in his eyes as when he played, 
the look of one who sees visions. 

“ Yes, I can,” his young voice rang out 
full and clear. 

It was a dedication, and so recognized by 
all the little group who listened somewhat 
awestruck by the sudden solemnity of the 
occasion. 

‘ ‘ Good ! That is as my own son would 
have said it,” pronounced Daniel Page. 


106 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Come, I will play to you on the or- 
gan. ’ ’ 

The invitation was apparently directed 
solely to Keith, but the others followed 
meekly, reduced to the ranks of the insig- 
nificant, “ in the trail of the genius in- 
deed! ” 

“ I never saw him so excited,” whispered 
Elizabeth to Don. “ He is usually so quiet 
and absent minded. It is only music that 
makes him like this.” 

Silently they filed into the great room, 
which was remote from the rest of the house, 
a sort of gallery with a few rare and beau- 
tiful pictures on the walls and almost no 
furniture save the magnificent great organ 
at the farthest extremity. 

The only light was the white moonlight 
which flooded the room from the latticed win- 
dows and fell on the grey head of the musi- 
cian who bowed over the keys of the instru- 
ment as if invoking some mystic deity of 
sound. And then the organ lifted up its 
mighty voice. Not one of the listeners had 
ever heard such music, for even Elizabeth, 


AT THE PINES 


107 


who knew her uncle’s gift, had never heard 
him play as he was playing to-night, music 
born in agonizing triumph from some pro- 
foundly stirred deeps of the old man’s soul. 
At last it ended and the player turned to 
his listeners, a strangely impressive figure 
in the moonlight, still clothed in the majesty 
of his wonderful performance. 

“ My family thought it was not respect- 
able to be a professional musician,” he mut- 
tered. “ It is too late now, but if I had it 
to do over again the world should listen. If 
I had my son — ” 

He seemed to have forgotten his audience 
and his head sank into his hands. One by 
one they stole out of the room in awed si- 
lence. Keith was the last to come and his 
eyes were ashine. 

“ I can. I can,” he was saying to him- 
self. “ I must.” 

Almost at once the boys took their depar- 
ture. Somehow it was impossible to go back 
to trivialities while that strange, unearthly, 
tragic, exquisite music rang in their ears 
and the farewells were briefly spoken. 


108 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


As the three strode along in the moonlight 
Keith suddenly broke the silence. 

“ I wish I were his son,” he announced. 

The others looked at him in amazed indig- 
nation. Neither Rupert nor Don would have 
exchanged their father’s little finger for the 
whole body of the eccentric old musician. 

“ Well, if you aren’t the limit! ” sput- 
tered Don wrathfully. 

“ I don’t see why. If he could give me 
the training I want and Dad can’t, I don’t 
see why I shouldn’t wish it. Wishing won’t 
make it true anyway.” 

“ Unfortunately not or I’d wish you out 
of the Clan quick as lightning,” flashed Don, 
utterly disgusted by such disloyal sentiments 
so coolly expressed. “ You are a disgrace 
to it.” 

“ Hold on, Don,” said Rupert, exercising 
his chief’s prerogative. “ That’s going a lit- 
tle too strong. You don’t either of you mean 
what you say, and you ’d better shut up. ’ ’ 

Which excellent piece of advice was fol- 
lowed literally during the rest of the home- 
ward journey. 


CHAPTER IX 


THE GAME 

“ Oh, Miss Cecilia, Don wants you quick, 
at the ’phone,” cried Elizabeth, dancing ex- 
citedly into Cecilia’s room. “ There is go- 
ing to be a ball game and he wants us to go. 
We can, can’t we? I want to dreadfully. 
And please hurry. Don’s waiting to know.” 

Cecilia laughed. 

‘ ‘ What a flyaway Princess we have these 
days! ” and she descended to confer with 
her cousin and later with Mrs. Page. 

“ Oh, dear,” sighed Elizabeth, waiting 
impatiently for the verdict. “ I most know 
Aunt Evelyn will say I can’t go. She is sure 
to think it is unladylike to go to ball games.” 

But when Cecilia returned she was armed 
with consent, and, half beside herself with 
excitement, Elizabeth flew away to make 
ready. As Don was in the thick of the fray 
Billy and Keith were deputed to act as es- 
109 


110 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


corts, the latter rather reluctantly. Mrs. 
Wallace had usually to fairly drive him to 
do the things she could hardly have kept the 
others from. 

“ Oh me! ” exclaimed Elizabeth, as they 
took their places in the grandstand amid the 
gay and chattering crowd. “ How did I ever 
live before I ever knew you all? Nothing 
ever used to happen at all and now I have 
hardly time to catch my breath before some- 
thing new and nice happens. Billy, for 
goodness’ sake don’t let me root for the 
wrong side,” she warned with a vocabulary 
which was widening rather extraordinarily 
these days. 

“No danger. Hammond has the blue 
suits. See the white H’s. Our men are in 
grey with crimson letters. There’s Don 
now,” beaming with brotherly pride. 

“ What’s the matter with Wallace? ” 
shouted somebody. 

“ He’s all right,” came the answer from 
various directions. 

“ Who’s all right? ” roared back a chorus 
of voices. 


THE GAME 


111 


“ Wallace! ” thundered the response, and 
then the same formula was repeated for 
Captain Lewis of the rival team. Billy 
plunged into voluble explanations of the 
national game, which Elizabeth was scarcely 
in a state of mind to grasp intelligently. 
She was fairly intoxicated by the joyous, 
noisy crowd, shouting, laughing, flaunting 
its banners in a frenzy of excitement and 
breathless expectation. 

In a moment the game was on, with Ham- 
mond at the bat. To Elizabeth’s uninitiated 
eyes it all seemed a strange jumble. She 
only knew that Hon was pitching and the 
rest were either striking at the ball, running 
madly somewhere or hopping excitedly about 
in various parts of the field. She caught 
the thrill of the rest however and shouted 
frantically with the others when Jerry Saun- 
ders out at right field made an almost impos- 
sible catch and put the third man out. 

“ But what happened really? ” questioned 
Elizabeth, when the excitement had subsided 
a little. 

“ Three on bases and two out. Jerry’s 


112 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


catching that ball finished ’em,” explained 
Billy with more good will than lucidity. 
“ We’re at the bat. That left-handed chap 
is Moriarty. There’ll be something doing 
in a minute. You watch.” 

Elizabeth watched, but rather disappoint- 
edly failed to see anything “ doing ” in 
spite of Billy’s prophecy. The lank left- 
handed Irishman did not seem to have the 
slightest desire to hit the ball, though he eyed 
it critically as it shot past him. Then all of 
a sudden there was “ something doing.” 
There was a swift crack and the ball rose 
into the air. Moriarty took to his long heels 
and was on second before anybody had made 
any connections with the ball. 

“ Oh,” cried Elizabeth breathlessly, 
‘ ‘ Don is going to bat ! ’ ’ 

Don, too, blandly ignored two balls. 

“ He’s on to ’em,” chuckled Billy. 
“ Now! ” 

Now indeed! A long straight ball meet- 
ing the bat sped past the man in centre field. 
Moriarty dashed to third, and seeing his 
opportunity still good, coolly trotted home, 


THE GAME 


113 


while Don reached second, and after a 
scarcely perceptible pause went on to third 
now left vacant by Moriarty. 

The third man at the bat struck at the first 
ball and sent it flying straight into the open 
hands of the left fielder, and a subdued groan 
went up from the benches. Shorty Thomas 
struck out ingloriously and still Don stuck 
perforce on third. Bill Leighton got to first 
through a fortunate slip on the part of the 
first base man. Saunders sent a swift low 
ball out beyond centre field which gave Don 
at last the chance to get in, but the ball came 
back in season to put out Leighton at second. 

In the second inning Hammond scored two 
runs also and the game went on very evenly 
after that until at the end of the eighth the 
score was nine to eight in favor of the visit- 
ing team. 

“ Oh, Miss Cecilia, we just must win,” 
sighed Elizabeth. “ Don’t you believe we 
are going to? ” 

“ I hope so, but you mustn’t be too much 
disappointed if we don’t. Somebody has to 
lose, you know.” 


114 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Three Hammond men were put out after 
a series of breathless narrow escapes which 
left Riverside a chance to make good, or at 
least to tie the score. Unfortunately, Mori- 
arty was put out at first. This was a blow, 
for Moriarty was a strong hope. 


“ Can he do it ? 
Course he can. 
Wallace! Wallace! 
He’s the man! ” 


chanted the crowd, as Don took the bat. 

Don was nervous and his batting was not 
up to his usual mark but he managed to get 
to second. Bemis, a weak batter, reached 
first to the relief of every one, but Don had 
not dared to try for third. Shorty struck 
out again with his usual bad luck. Things 
looked dubious for Riverside. Leighton 
made a fair strike and since he had now no 
choice Don dashed for third as Bemis started 
for second. It was a question which man 
Hammond would try for. The ball speeding 
to third caused a breathless hush. Don saw 


THE GAME 


115 


it coming and slid. There was a jumble of 
boys and dust. 

“ Safe! ” roared the umpire, and a great 
shout went up from the grandstand. The 
banners waved and feet stamped vainglori- 
ously, for Saunders was a sure man at the 
bat and would undoubtedly bring Don in 
and perhaps Bemis also. But suddenly the 
noise subsided. Don and the man on third 
had a brief colloquy, and then to the aston- 
ishment of the crowd Don coolly walked 
in. 

4 4 You didn’t see straight, Jim,” he called 
to the umpire. “ I was out.” 

There was an eloquent silence, then the 
roar broke out again, in dissatisfaction this 
time. 

“ You are a nice one, Don,” snapped 
Saunders., who had been about to save the 
day and was not unnaturally disgusted at 
being foiled of his opportunity. “ Now 
you’ve lost the game.” 

“ I know,” agreed Don. “I’m sorry, but 
I couldn’t help it. I slid for all I was worth, 
but I just missed making it.” 


116 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


44 Shucks! I don’t mean that. Why 
didn’t you keep still? Jim called you safe.” 

44 But I wasn’t,” said Don simply. 

The crowd had closed in and he was an- 
swering not one disappointed lad but a sore 
and excited throng, inclined to be more than 
a little censorious of what seemed to most 
of them absurd overscrupulousness. 

4 4 Look here, fellows,” he added, facing 
them. 44 I am sorry I didn’t make it, but 
I didn’t, and that is the end of it. Riverside 
plays fair.” 

44 That’s so,” said some one. 

Just then Lewis of the other team pushed 
his way through the group and put a hand 
on Don’s shoulder. 

44 Are you sure you were out, Wallace? ” 
he asked. 44 Davis swears he hardly knows, 
and the umpire called you safe. We are not 
kicking. It’s up to you. We are willing to 
play another inning if there is any ques- 
tion.” 

44 There isn’t,” said Don. 44 I was out. 
Much obliged, all the same. It’s mighty 
square of you.” 



































































m 







THE GAME 


117 


Lewis held out his hand. 

“ I guess when it comes to squareness 
we ’ll have to take off our hats to you. I 
never saw a whiter thing done.” 

Don took the proffered hand hut he quietly 
switched the praise. 

“ Riverside means to be white always,” 
he said. 

“ There isn’t any doubt of that,” cor- 
dially. Lewis beckoned to his jubilant team. 
“ Come here, you fellows,” he ordered. 
“ Now then, three cheers for Riverside. 
Make ’em good ones, too.” 

And they were good ones — the generous 
tribute of victors to worthy foes. 

“ Now three times three for Wallace,” 
commanded the captain. 

And this time they were heartily joined by 
the crimson and greys. Riverside had lost, 
but it was beginning to realize that there 
was some glory even in the defeat, and any- 
way Don Wallace was Don Wallace and they 
were all ready to cheer for him no matter 
what he did. Then followed the complimen- 
tary return cheer for Captain Lewis and 


118 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Hammond, and then the crowd began to dis- 
perse rather less uproariously than it had 
gathered, for, after all, defeat, however hon- 
orable, is not victory, and leaves a different 
taste in the mouth. 

“ I should think the fellows would have 
had enough of a goody-goody like Wallace,’ ’ 
sneered a voice close to Elizabeth. “ Of all 
fool performances! ” 

She turned indignantly and saw a thin, 
dark lad whom she immediately hated heart- 
ily. She would have burst out then and there 
with a fiery rejoinder if Cecilia had not 
pressed her arm in quick warning. 

“ Look out, dear. It won’t help Don any 
for you to defend him,” softly. 

“ But it wasn’t goody-goody. It was just 
fine of Don,” protested the Princess hotly, 
as the offending youth moved out of hearing. 

“ I know. You and I understand and are 
proud of him, but maybe the boys don’t 
appreciate how brave a thing it was to do.” 

“ Well, they ought to,” fumed Elizabeth. 
il I just hate that boy. I wish somebody 
would punch his head,” vindictively. 


THE GAME 


119 


Some one at the time was very near the 
point of executing her wishes. The sneer 
had been repeated in the presence of some 
of the losing team and it was Jerry Saun- 
ders, who had been, in his disappointment, 
the first to accuse Don of folly, who now ral- 
lied fiercely to his defence. 

“ You’d better shut your head, Rod Ste- 
vens,” he growled. “ There isn’t a man on 
the team who isn ’t glad Don did what he did, 
and the rest of you have no call to kick. 
You can be mighty thankful Riverside has 
kept its reputation for clean play. That’s 
more than it would have if you’d got the 
election, I’m thinking.” 

That was a sharp thrust, for every one 
knew that Stevens had been bitterly disap- 
pointed when Don had been made captain 
of the team instead of himself. 

“ Why weren’t you on the team yourself 
if you’re so hanged anxious for Riverside to 
beat? ” challenged another voice. 

“ Ask Wallace,” sneered Stevens. 

“ Don asked you. You needn’t pretend he 
didn’t,” sharply from Jerry. 


120 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Who said he didn’t? Yon can be mighty 
certain I never shall play on the team as long 
as Don Wallace is captain, for more reasons 
than one. Come on, Ned,” to his compan- 
ion. “ Let’s be off before the precious 
Sunday-school hero arrives. He is on 
the way, I see, and old Channing with 
him. ’ ’ 

Mr. Channing, the principal, had indeed 
joined Don a moment before with a friendly, 
“ Good fight, Wallace. I am sorry you 
didn’t win.” 

“ So am I,” said Don soberly. 

“ I have known all along that the team 
was in good hands,” went on Mr. Channing, 
“ hut I know it better than ever, and in a 
bigger sense to-day. I wonder if you realize 
what it means to a school to have a leader 
like you make a stand like that for straight, 
clean honesty? ” 

“ It wasn’t anything,” protested Don, em- 
barrassed by the unexpected praise. “ Any- 
body would have done the same.” 

If Mr. Channing doubted this he made no 
denial but simply held out his hand. 


THE GAME 


121 


“ It was fine, Donald. Don’t mind wliat 
any one says. It was fine.” 

Billy had forged on ahead unable to resist 
the lure of a crowd, and the somewhat bored 
Keith was left perforce to protect the ladies. 
Elizabeth insisted upon waiting for Don, 
who rather ill-rewarded her devotion by de- 
manding rather curtly what they had waited 
for. 

“ You,” retorted the Princess, undaunted 
by his gruffness. “ It was a great game 
and you are a real hero.” 

“ Stuff! ” ejaculated the “ hero ” with a 
frown. 

But Elizabeth forebore to take offence at 
his lack of proper response, knowing that he 
was “ sore,” as he would have expressed 
it, and liking him the better for not letting 
womankind make a fuss over him. 


CHAPTER X 


AN ADVENTURE 

“ 1 For Dixie land, I’ll take my stand, 

To live and die for Dixie/ ” 

carolled Elizabeth joyously from her perch 
on a low bough of a sycamore-tree which 
extended out over a bubbling spring. Don, 
at her side, engaged in manufacturing a 
birch-bark drinking-cup, looked up with a 
twinkle in his eyes and began to whistle 
“ Yankee Doodle/ ’ which made her break 
off her song with a laugh. 

“ You needn’t think you can get me to 
fight to-day,” she warned him. “ I’m just 
too happy, and the world is too beautiful. 
Oh, Don, isn’t it wonderful here? Don’t you 
love it? ” 

“ M-mm,” responded Don non-commit- 
tally. In reality he loved the woods even 
better than she because of old friendship, 
where her enthusiasm was partly the mere 
122 


AN ADVENTURE 


123 


zest of new experience. Yet the scene was 
lovely enough to stir the pulses of any one. 
It was a cloudless May day. Overhead, the 
pine-trees pointed heavenward into the blue 
and chanted deep harmonies. Below, be- 
tween the green velvet banks, the spring 
went foaming and dashing over the rocks 
past myriad wild flowers. 

‘ ‘ What an Indian you are ! ’ ’ complained 
Elizabeth. li Boys are so awfully afraid of 
showing their feelings.’ ’ 

“ Gushing’s not in my line,” grunted Don. 
“ Of course I like it here. Who wouldn’t? 
Speaking of Indians, they say some camped 
here once with some white captives from the 
village. A little baby died and was buried 
under that pine.” 

“ Oh-h,” cried Elizabeth. “ Really and 
truly, Don? Was its mother here? ” 

“ She was one of the captives. She dug 
the grave with her own hands. Years after- 
ward she came back and found the spot, and 
when she died they buried her here, too. 
Do you see the little wooden cross? ” 
Elizabeth sat very still. It was all terri- 


124 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


bly vivid to her quick imagination, the 
strange terror of that bygone scene, the 
grim captors, the grief -stricken woman ma- 
king with her own hands the pitiful grave 
of all her love and hope. Quietly she slid 
out of her seat after a moment and went 
to gather a handful of white anemones which 
she laid upon the grass-grown mound of the 
almost forgotten grave. Don watched her, 
silent, too, and with bared head out of re- 
spect for the little ceremony. 

“ You are a queer one,” he commented, 
as she turned back to him. He stopped and 
filled the cup he had been fashioning with 
the icy water from the spring and held it 
out to her. “ To your good health,” he 
added. 

Elizabeth drank half then gave the cup 
back to him. 

“ And to yours, Sir Knight,” she re- 
sponded. “ Oh, Don, don’t you wish we 
were truly knights and princesses? ” 

He shook his head. 

“ Not much. It is much more fun being 
plain us and alive.” 


AN ADVENTURE 


125 


“ I don’t know. It is awfully tame to be 
living now.” 

‘ ‘ Plenty exciting enough for me, ’ ’ grinned 
Don. “It is likely even to be a shade too 
much so if I don’t pass my May exams.” 
And a little worried line puckered his fore- 
head for a moment. 

“ Why? ” Elizabeth took a little skip to 
get into step as he started down the path. 

“ Dad won’t let me play baseball unless 
I keep up with lessons,” he explained. 
“ And I am way behind, worse luck! ” 

“ Why? ” she questioned again. 

He shrugged. 

“ Why does any one make a fool of him- 
self? I’ve been letting things slide. I’m 
not afraid of anything but geometry, though. 
Mr. Skinner doesn’t like me anyway and 
would flunk me with the greatest of pleasure 
if he had a chance. I’d give anything to 
know what propositions we were going to 
get in his old exam.” 

A sudden crackling in the bushes behind 
her startled Elizabeth and she turned quickly 
to see the boy who had sneered so hatefully 


126 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


at Don the other day, emerging from the 
thicket, rod in hand. 

“ Hello, Stevens,” said Don a little less 
frankly than he usually spoke. “ Any 
luck? ” 

“ Fair,” replied the other, with rather a 
rude stare at Elizabeth. “ I take it you are 
not fishing.” 

“ Not to-day. So long. Come on, Eliza- 
beth. ’ ’ 

“ I hate that boy,” announced Elizabeth, 
when they were out of earshot. 

Don turned on her in some surprise. 

“ You do? ” he queried. “ Why? ” 

“ No matter why. I don’t like him. That 
is all there is to it,” decisively. 

Don laughed. 

“ ‘ I do not like you, Dr. Fell, 

The reason why I cannot tell,’ ” 

he quoted. 

“ You don’t like him yourself, Don Wal- 
lace,” she retorted. 

“ No more I don’t,” he agreed. “ We 
happen to be quite intimate enemies.” 


AN ADVENTURE 


127 


* Why? ” 

4 ; Oh, we’ve been up against each other in 
a good many ways. He earner in new last fall 
with rather high and mighty airs. Saun- 
ders, who was captain of the football team, 
put him oft because he would foul. Stevens 
was awfully sore and thought I had some- 
thing to do with it because Jerry gave me 
his place. Then I happened to win out in 
the prize speaking last winter against him 
and this spring he wanted to be captain of 
the baseball team and the fellows elected me 
instead. He won’t play on the team at all, 
though he is one of the strongest men we 
have, because he hates me so. Altogether 
he has it in for me, and I don’t know as I 
blame him much. He has tried to trip me 
up in more ways than one and he would be 
tickled to death if I flunked now and had to 
quit.” 

“ Would your father really make you 
quit? ” 

“ Sure he would. I had fair warning of 
that last year when I had another fool 
spell.” 


128 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Oil Don, you mustn’t! ” 
i 1 Right oh ! The aggravating part of it 
is it will be my own fault if I do slump. 
Oh shucks ! What is the use of talking about 
it! I just won’t flunk, that’s all.” And he 
set his lips and squared his shoulders as if 
that were indeed the end of the matter. “ I 
say, Princess, are you tired? ” he demanded 
suddenly. 

“ Not a bit. Why? ” 
u Tli ere is a longer way home with easier 
walking, because we strike an old road by 
the Robbins place. Want to try it? ” 
Elizabeth glanced at the little watch on her 
wrist. 

“ Sure. There is plenty of time. Miss 
Cecilia won’t care if I’m home by five. She 
is in the city with Aunt Evelyn anyway, so 
she won’t know,” comfortably. “ I mean 
she won’t worry,” she corrected hastily. 
Some of the plausible pretexts for eluding 
Miss Dunning’s authority had come to look 
a little less legitimate since she had known 
the straightforward Clan. 

“ All right then. Come on. The Robbins 


AN ADVENTURE 


129 


house is reputed to have a ghost. Perhaps 
he will stalk for us.” 

“ No such luck I am afraid, in broad day- 
light,” smiled Elizabeth. 

When they reached the deserted house, 
however, she decided that the ghost wasn’t 
so improbable after all. The broken, cobweb 
curtained windows, the flapping shutters, the 
sunken doors, the rankly weed* grown gar- 
den, the tall poplar, whose straggling boughs 
shut out light and sun from the old building, 
combined to give it a desolate air which 
might have satisfied the most exacting haunt. 
Elizabeth, primed for adventure, was bent 
upon exploring the grim desolation within, 
a process which gave her just enough thrills 
and chills to be thoroughly enjoyable. She 
went peering into dark corners and queer 
dusty cupboards, in search of the ghost, as 
she bravely asserted. Finally she insisted 
on descending into the cellar, a gloomy, 
musty place smelling of damp earth and old 
cider vats. 

“ Gee, but it’s dark! ” sputtered Don 
ruefully rubbing his elbow, which had 


130 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


come into forcible contact with a projecting 
beam. 

“ Don, do you mind if I hold on to your 
coat? ” asked Elizabeth, a little breathlessly. 

“ You’re afraid,” he teased. “ ’Fess up, 
Princess.” 

“I’m not,” decidedly. 4 4 But it is dark. 
You said so yourself, and I’d rather hang 
on to you, please.” 

“ All right.” He obligingly hooked his 
arm into hers. “ I say though, don’t butt 
me into the wall. I’m no June bug. Jiminy 
Christmas! ” he exclaimed, for as he stum- 
bled and put out a hand to protect himself 
the wall itself gave way before him and a 
doorway opened in the most unexpected man- 
ner into a small dark room beyond. 

“ Did you ever? ” gasped Elizabeth. 

“ Hardly ever,” admitted Don. “ Let’s 
see what is here.” 

They entered the suddenly revealed room 
with much interest, though after all there 
wasn’t much to see. 

“ I’ve always heard there were places like 
this in some of the old houses where they 


AN ADVENTURE 


131 


used to hide from the Indians. This must 
he one. I’ll bet there was a spring outside 
and I blundered on to it.” 

4 4 It is rather a horrid place, ’ ’ sniffed Eliz- 
abeth. 44 Think I’d prefer the Indians. 
Ugh! ” she shuddered, as a mouse, a ghostly 
little grey shape, scurried almost over her 
foot. 44 Come on out, Don. It gives me the 
creeps.” 

Both turned, and to their utter amazement 
and dismay, there was no door. Only the 
solid wall presented itself just as it had out- 
side in the cellar. The door had swung to- 
gether again and shut them in. Don felt 
along the wall, judging as weft as he could 
where the opening had been. He remem- 
bered vague tales he had heard of spring 
locks, but in the dim light, which fell through 
the one tiny heavily grated window, he could 
find nothing resembling a spring. 

44 Don,” said Elizabeth sharply, 44 how are 
we going to get out? ” 

Don ‘turned to her with an assured man- 
ner, which was far from being an index to 
his real feelings. 


132 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Not the way we came in evidently, un- 
less we can persuade the door to be a door 
again. ’ ’ 

“ We must,” decidedly. “ Let’s find the 
spring — if there is a spring.” 

With eager fingers she joined his search 
along the wall, but with no better luck. 

“ But, Don, if we can’t get out by the 
door, how can we get out? ” 

He looked from the four blank walls to the 
grated window and swallowed hard before 
he answered. 

“ I don’t know.” 

“ But we must,” she protested again. 
“ We can’t stay here. Why, Don, nobody 
would know where we were. Nobody could 
ever find us, ’ ’ and in spite of her effort there 
was a faint tremble in her voice. 

Don was wrestling with the window gra- 
ting and made no reply. 

“ It’s no use,” he said at last, turning 
back. “ I can’t stir the darn thing, and if 
I could it wouldn’t do any good. I don’t 
believe even you could get out through that 
space. It’s hardly big enough for a cat.” 


AN ADVENTURE 


133 


“ But, Don, there must be a way out. 
People didn’t have dungeons even in those 
days and they wouldn’t shut themselves up 
like rats in a trap. Think, Don, what did 
they do? ” 

“ Of course there is a way,” said Don, 
sturdily attacking the maddening wall again, 
throwing all his weight where he thought 
the door must he, feverishly seeing the hid- 
den spring. But the energy was displayed 
in vain. No way of escape presented it- 
self. 

“ Elizabeth — I’m no end sorry I got you 
into this mess,” he said, at last, a little husk- 
ily- 

“ Hush, Don. It wasn’t your fault. Only 
think — think.” 

But thinking brought no inspiration. He 
walked across the room, leaning desperately 
against the wall and facing the hateful door, 
which was no door. It was horrible. There 
must be a way out, as Elizabeth said. There 
must. He must do something. And sud- 
denly, without warning, he did do something. 
The wall against which he had thrown his 


134 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


weight abruptly gave way behind him. A 
great stone had fallen outside with a grue- 
some thud, leaving a large space in its place. 
In his astonishment Don nearly fell over 
too, but managing to regain his equilibrium 
he righted himself and peered curiously 
down into the dark hole opened by the fall- 
ing stone. For a moment the new develop- 
ment brought no particular hope as no light 
of day shone through. But suddenly an idea 
came to him and he gave a jubilant shout 
which brought Elizabeth to his side. 

“ What is it? ” she cried. 

4 4 Underground passage, I think. Good- 
ness knows where it comes out, but it must 
come out somewhere unless it’s caved in 
after all these years,’ ’ he added more so- 
berly. “ Anyway it is worth trying. Any- 
thing is better than this confounded hole. 
I’ll try it, and if I get out, as I believe I 
can, I’ll come back and release you from the 
outside. ’ ’ 

u Don Wallace, you needn’t think you are 
going to leave me one minute. If you go 
into that passage, I’m going too, so there,” 


AN ADVENTURE 


135 


Don laughed a little unsteadily. 

4 4 So be it,” he permitted. 44 It ’s a choice 
of evils, I admit. Come on, then, if you will. 
Now is the time for the coat-tail stunt.” 

Cautiously he stepped down through the 
opening into a narrow subterraneous chan- 
nel, deep enough for him to stand almost 
erect. 

44 All aboard, Princess,” he called back 
cheerily. 44 Catch on.” 

With fiercely beating heart Elizabeth fol- 
lowed into the dark avenue. It was a 
strange journey pursued in silence through 
inky space. Every moment Don expected to 
be blocked by fallen earth, but fortunately 
the passage continued to be as efficacious a 
way of escape as it had been in the old days 
and by and by a faint glimmer of light 
warned him that the end was in sight. The 
glimmering space grew larger and brighter 
until at last it proved to be daylight itself 
outside a cave-like, overgrown opening. 

Perhaps no one was ever any more thank- 
ful to behold blue sky and sunshine than 
were Don and Elizabeth, when, dirty and 


136 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


bedraggled, they stepped out into the ravine 
by the brook. 

44 How do you like being a vile worm? ” 
challenged Don gayly, but Elizabeth had top- 
pled over into a disconsolate little heap on 
the bank and was crying as if her heart were 
broken. 

Poor Don, almost more distressed than he 
had been in the cellar, tried to comfort her 
but she waved him off . 

44 D-don’t try to s-stop me,” she sobbed. 
44 I Ve g-got to cry. I’m so g-glad.” 

But in a minute the storm was over, and 
she was laughing tremulously. 44 We did 
have an adventure, after all, didn’t we? ” 

4 4 Should say we did. Quite enough to last 
this child for one spell. I say, Princess, you 
behaved like a trump in there.” 

She smiled dubiously. 

44 I was too scared to make a fuss/’ she 
admitted. 44 Don, weren’t you scared ?” 

44 Scared silly, and plum disgusted with 
myself for getting you into such a scrape.” 

44 Now, Don, it wasn’t your fault one bit 
more than mine. Not so much, for it was I 


AN ADVENTURE 


137 


who insisted on going into the house. Be- 
sides, now it is all over, I’m rather glad it 
happened. ’ ’ 

“ Can’t say I am,” ruefully. “ Cecilia 
will never trust your Majesty to my keeping 
again, I’m afraid. I made such a mess of 
it this time.” 

“ Nonsense! She will understand,” 
prophesied Elizabeth, “ besides,” with fem- 
inine wisdom, “ she will be too glad to have 
us back to scold. They all will.” 


CHAPTER XI 


A MYSTERY 

Elizabeth saw very little of Donald for 
a week after the adventure in the Robbins 
house. The examinations were at hand and 
he had to pay the piper for too much dan- 
cing. He faced the situation with charac- 
teristic energy and determination, however. 
He knew how to work with all his might 
when he did work, and made up honestly, so 
far as he could, for past shirldng. He was 
so far successful too that he came home one 
day jubilantly conscious that he had passed 
a creditable examination in the dreaded ge- 
ometry. 

“ I think I got every blooming proposi- 
tion right,” he assured Elizabeth that after- 
noon, after a lively game of tennis. “ I’ll 
bet that will surprise Skinny some, too.” 

As it came out, however, it was Don him- 
138 


A MYSTERY 


139 


self wlio had a surprise the next day, and 
not a particularly pleasant one. Directly 
after the morning exercises he was sum- 
moned to the principal’s office. Unsuspect- 
ing of any difficulty, because of a fairly clear 
conscience, but considerably curious as to 
the reason for the summons he entered the 
office. Mr. Channing, looking grave and a 
little stern, sat at his desk, and by the 
window stood Mr. Skinner, the mathematics 
instructor, with a peculiarly irritating “ I 
told you so ” expression on his face. Don 
did not like Mr. Skinner, and resented his 
presence. Therefore he turned rather point- 
edly to the principal. 

“ You wished to see me, sir? ” he asked. 

“ Yes. Donald, a rather serious charge 
has been brought against you of which I 
sincerely hope you will be able to acquit 
yourself. ’ ’ 

Don ' shot a quick antagonistic glance in 
Mr. Skinner’s direction, which implied that 
he suspected the other of being at the bottom 
of whatever trouble there was, but he waited 
in silence for the accusation. 


140 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Mr. Channing lifted a paper from his desk, 
a paper heavily inked, evidently a duplicator 
first copy. 

‘ ‘ Did you ever see this before ? ’ ’ he asked, 
watching the boy narrowly. 

“ Not this particular paper,’ ’ said Don, 
4 ‘ but it is the examination Mr. Skinner gave 
us yesterday.” 

4 4 This particular paper I found in your 
Latin notebook which you handed in to me 
yesterday,” continued the principal still with 
his keen eyes bent on the lad’s face. 

“ In my Latin notebook! ” puzzled Don. 
“ I don’t see — ” And then suddenly he 
did see. “ Then you accuse me of having 
seen that paper before I took the examina- 
tion? ” he demanded. 

“ No, Donald. I do not accuse you of any- 
thing at present. I am simply stating the 
facts. This paper is Mr. Skinner’s original 
draft of the examination from which he 
duplicated the copies for his class. It was 
found in your Latin notebook which you 
handed in to me at the end of a nine-forty 
recitation period. At ten-twenty you went 


A MYSTERY 


1.41 


to Mr. Skinner’s class and passed in an ab- 
solutely perfect examination paper.” 

Don stood, white and silent, stunned by 
the very plausibility of the charge and 
his utter inability to offer any explana- 
tion, yet knowing his own absolute inno- 
cence. 

“ What have you to say for yourself? ” 
demanded Mr. Skinner sharply, unable to 
keep out of the conversation any longer. 

Don whirled on him a little defiantly. 

“ Nothing,” he retorted. 

“ You admit your guilt? ” 

u I do nothing of the sort. I’m not a 
sneak, and you know it. If you don’t, you 
ought to,” sharply. 

“ Hold on, Donald,” said Mr. Channing. 
“ You haven’t the right to take that tone, 
you know.” 

Don bit his lip, stammered a perfunctory 
“ Beg pardon ” to Mr. Skinner and turned 
back to the principal. 

“ Mr. Channing, I can only say that I 
never saw that paper until now, and if it 
was in my notebook I didn’t know it.” 


142 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


4 4 Mr. Skinner tells me that your work has 
been poor for several weeks and that he had 
no expectation that you could pass the test 
at all.” 

44 I thought it would surprise him,” Don 
could not resist saying, though he knew it 
wasn’t a discreet speech. 

44 You know perfectly, Wallace, that you 
were not prepared to pass that examina- 
tion,” burst out the irritated instructor. 

44 I don’t see that since I did pass it,” 
flashed Don. 

44 By cheating.” 

Don’s head went back defiantly, his face 
white with anger, his blue eyes full of fire. 
In a second the storm of his wrath would 
have been loose without regard to conse- 
quences, had not the principal hastily inter- 
vened. 

44 We are not prepared to say that, just 
yet, Mr. Skinner,” he interrupted quietly. 
44 You do not deny that your work has been 
below the standard, Donald? ” 

44 No,” said Don soberly, realizing that, 
after all, it was his own folly that had 


A MYSTERY 


143 


laid him open to the charge, unjust as it 
was. 

“ How then do you account for the perfect 
paper, yesterday? ” 

Don flushed. 

“ I knew my father would make me give 
up playing on the team if I flunked. I stud- 
ied extra this week and made up what I 
missed.’ ’ 

“ You mean to say that you made up in 
a week what you missed in a month? ” from 
Mr. Skinner. 

“ Looks like it,” curtly, and with a faint 
tinge of insolence, which made Mr. Chan- 
ning shoot a sharp glance at the speaker 
from under his heavy eyebrows, a glance 
which steadied Don at once. “ I suppose 
Mr. Skinner is right,” he added, in a differ- 
ent tone. “ I suppose it does look more as 
if I cheated. I didn’t, but I don’t see as I 
can prove I didn’t if you won’t take my word 
for it.” 

‘ ‘ Personally, Donald, I am inclined to take 
your word for it in spite of the evidence 
against you. But if you did not steal that 


144 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


paper and put it in your notebook somebody 
else did, and the matter must be sifted thor- 
oughly. Look at me, Donald.’ ’ 

A little surprised, and completely off 
guard at the abrupt command, Don obeyed, 
lifting a pair of frank troubled eyes which 
met the other’s with unfaltering steadiness. 

“ Very well, Donald. I believe you abso- 
lutely. I never knew you to tell a lie, and 
I don’t believe you are beginning now.” 

“ Thank you,” said Don heartily. “ May 
I take another test to prove I can pass with- 
out cheating? ” 

“ That seems a fair request, Mr. Skinner, 
and one which I think you will be wise to 
grant. ’ ’ 

The instructor nodded stiffly and turned 
to go. His own belief in the boy’s guilt was 
considerably shattered for the moment, 
though as soon as he was out of Don’s pres- 
ence the overwhelming testimony against 
him reestablished itself firmly in the man’s 
somewhat narrow mind and made him won- 
der at the credulity of the principal and his 
own momentary weakness. 


A MYSTERY 


145 


“ There is just one other point, Donald,” 
went on Mr. Channing as they were left 
alone. “ Have yon any reason to suspect 
any one of having placed that paper in 
your book with deliberate intent to injure 
you? ” 

That was a poser. Don’s eyes dropped 
hastily. There was just one person who 
might conceivably have done that very thing. 
But had he any right to even conceive such 
a thing of any one? Certainly he hadn’t 
any right to express such a suspicion. 
Schoolboy honor is often a curious and mis- 
directed affair, but it is as rigid as the laws 
of the Medes and Persians. Whatever a 
schoolboy suspects of his neighbor he does 
not tell even to clear himself. After all, he 
hadn’t really any reason to suspect Rod 
Stevens. Rod’s hand had been against him 
but never dishonorably hitherto. 

“ No,” he said after a very definite pause. 
“ I haven’t any reason,” salving his con- 
science by a faint emphasis on the word 
reason. Altogether it was about as dis- 
ingenuous a speech as Don Wallace had 


146 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ever made in his life, and they both knew 
it. 

Mr. Channing frowned a little. 

“ So yon can’t or won’t help me? ” he 
questioned. 

“ No,” said Don steadily. 

“ Yon understand that if yon could — or 
would help — the whole affair might be man- 
aged privately instead of publicly? Do you 
realize that publicity is going to be hard on 
you? ” 

Don winced. He did realize. He knew 
precisely the amount of galling curiosity, 
pity, championage and disbelief, all about 
equally distasteful, he would have to endure 
if the thing were made public. 

“ I am afraid I can’t help that, Mr. Chan- 
ning,” he said quietly. 

“ Very well. That is for you to say,” said 
the principal. “ That is all for the present, 
Wallace.” 

Nobody knows how such things get about, 
but by recess it was pretty generally current 
that Don Wallace had been accused of cheat- 
ing in an examination. Excitement ran high, 


A MYSTERY 


147 


for except for the few who followed Stevens 
in his personal quarrel with Don he was a 
general favorite. 

44 It’s perfect nonsense! ” fumed Jerry 
Saunders. 44 Everybody knows Don Wal- 
lace is as honest as day. He wouldn’t have 
to cheat anyhow. He’s too bright.” 

44 He’s been flunking math, right and left 
for a month,” put in a more dubious sup- 
porter. 44 It does look fishy that he made 
a clean hundred.” 

44 Can’t help it,” snapped loyal Jerry. 
44 I wouldn’t believe Don cheated if he told 
me so himself. Why, fellows, you know he 
wouldn’t! ” 

44 But if he flunked he had to quit baseball 
and I guess he cares enough about keeping 
on the team to do most anything,” volun- 
teered another voice. 

44 Not that,” persisted Jerry. 44 How the 
dickens did the thing get into his notebook 
though is what gets me.” 

44 ’Tisn’t very likely Don would leave a 
damaging piece of evidence like that right 
under the old man’s eyes,” put in Shorty 


> 


148 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Thomas. 44 That’s fishier than his passing 
the exam, I think. Don’s no such fool.” 

44 That’s so,” agreed several. 

4 4 Looks like a put-up job,” commented 
Leighton. 

44 We all know who would be tickled out 
of his boots if Don had to quit the team,” 
Shorty proceeded a step farther. 

44 Right oh! ” agreed Jerry. 44 Shouldn’t 
wonder if you were right, Shorty, though it 
is not up to us to breathe that pretty little 
idea out loud. Anyhow every man Jack of 
you stand up for Don and watch out. Just 
give blood and thunder to any one who dares 
disagree with you.” 

44 Including Skinny? ” laughed some one. 

44 Oh, Skinny’s bound to be on the off side 
anyway. He always believes a fellow guilty 
on general principles. He has it in for Don 
anyway ever since he downed him in De- 
bating Society. There’s the bell. Wonder 
if the old man will have anything to say.” 

The 44 old man ” it seems had several 
things to say. He told the story of the mys- 
terious appearance of the paper in the note- 


A MYSTERY 


149 


book and stated plainly that the evidence 
was about as strong as possible against the 
boy in whose book the paper had been found. 
A faint hiss sounded in the rear of the room, 
a manifestation which the principal checked 
sternly. 

“ In spite of this evidence,’ ’ he proceeded, 
“ I am personally convinced of Wallace’s 
absolute innocence. But if Wallace is inno- 
cent, some one else is guilty of a thing worse 
if possible than cheating. That paper did 
not find its way into Donald Wallace’s book 
without hands. I wish more than I can say 
that the individual who was guilty of this 
thing would redeem himself in part by speak- 
ing out now.” 

A dead silence followed. 

‘ ‘ I am sorry, ’ ’ said Mr. Channing at last, 
and somehow nearly every one in that 
crowded room felt that the speech so simply 
spoken came straight from the heart. He 
was sorry, bitterly disappointed. 

“ Can any one throw any light on the 
question? ” he asked after a moment. 

Still silence. Poor Don felt as if the whole 


150 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


scliool had glued their eyes upon him. He 
told Elizabeth afterward that he began to 
feel positively guilty, and was sure he looked 
it. 

“ Has any one any cause to believe that 
any member of the school would deliberately 
try to injure Wallace? ” 

Again silence, and this time the eyes bored 
with rather less friendly curiosity into Rod 
Stevens’ back. 

‘ ‘ To put the matter on the other basis, 
has any one any cause to believe that Donald 
Wallace would cheat in an examination? ” 

The school stirred restlessly. There was 
scarcely one of the number who didn’t know 
that Don’s position on the team depended 
more or less on this examination in a study 
which he had been notoriously neglecting. 
But naturally no one spoke. Stevens had 
looked up quickly, made a faint shuffling 
noise with his feet as if he had meant to rise, 
then slouched back in his seat. The manoeu- 
vre was successful. The principal had seen 
the apparently involuntary movement and 
pounced upon its author. 


A MYSTERY 


151 


“ Well, Stevens, did you have something 
to say? ” 

“ No, sir — only — no, sir, nothing at all,” 
with growing firmness. 

“ I insist upon your speaking if you have 
anything to add which bears in any way upon 
this matter.” 

“ I don’t know that it does bear on it, but 
I thought perhaps it might,” cautiously. 

“ Well. Out with it, ”* sharply. The prin- 
cipal’s nerves were getting a little frayed. 

‘ 6 It is only that I accidentally heard Wal- 
lace say last Saturday that he would give 
anything to know what propositions Mr. 
Skinner was going to give because he was 
afraid he would flunk the examination.” 

There was a breathless hush. Again all 
eyes were centred on Don. 

“ I am sorry to repeat this,” Stevens con- 
tinued apologetically, “ because every one 
knows Wallace and I are not on good terms. 
But it is true, as perhaps he will tell you.” 

Rod slipped back into his seat with the 
air of one who has done a disagreeable 
duty. 


152 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Well, Wallace? ” inquired the principal 
somewhat sternly. 

Slowly Don rose to his feet. He was a 
little white, bnt his voice rang out clearly 
and steadily. 

“ I did say exactly that, but I had cer- 
tainly no intention of trying to see the ques- 
tions for all that. If the school thinks I’d 
do a sneaky thing like that to keep on the 
team why I offer my resignation, here and 
now.” 

He dropped back into his seat and Jerry 
Saunders took the floor. 

“ May I speak, Mr. Channing? ” he asked, 
but scarcely waited for the nod of assent. 
“ I think I am speaking for the school, and 
I know I am speaking for the team, in re- 
fusing to accept Don Wallace’s resignation. 
As for cheating, I don’t believe there is a 
single person in this room who doesn’t know 
Don wouldn’t, no matter how much he had 
to gain or lose by it. You were all at the 
game the other day. You know how we lost it 
because Don played fair. I was sore at the 
time, and I kicked, I am ashamed to say, but 


A MYSTERY 


153 


I came to see that Don was right and I was 
wrong. I tell you Don Wallace is straight.’ ’ 

As Jerry resumed his seat, crimson with 
the unusual effort and strong feeling, a 
thunder of applause broke out, applause 
partly for Don and partly for his gallant and 
generous champion. When Mr. Channing 
could restore order he came forward looking 
by no means ill-pleased at the rather stormy 
demonstration. 

“ I couldn’t have made a stronger plea 
for Wallace’s honesty than the eloquent one 
you have just heard. I am glad to see that 
you agree with myself and with Saunders 
on this subject. Proceed to your classes.” 


CHAPTER XII 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 

1 6 Hello, Princess/ ’ said Don, appearing 
rather unexpectedly in the garden where 
Elizabeth lay curled in a hammock with a 
book. “ Game for tennis? ” 

“ It is too warm,” she replied with dig- 
nity as he dropped down at her feet in the 
grass. Her tone made him flash an inquir- 
ing glance up at her. He knew her well 
enough by this time to recognize danger 
signals. 

“ The w'eather doesn’t seem to have af- 
fected your temperature,” he commented. 
“ You sound about iceberg heat. What’s 
up? ” 

“ Nothing is up.” She ostentatiously 
picked up the crocheting she had neglected 
for the book and began to count stitches as- 
siduously, a process which she happened to 
154 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 


155 


know Don particularly disliked. He endured 
tlie silence for a few moments then burst out 
impatiently. 

44 You’re jolly company, I must say.” 

44 If you don’t like my company you can 
go somewhere else. Probably Kitty McAl- 
lister will play tennis with you.” 

4 4 I played with Kit this morning,” he an- 
nounced innocently. 

Elizabeth elevated her eyebrows. 

44 I am quite aware of that. You seemed 
to be having a very good time, too,” resent- 
fully. 

44 What do you know about it? ” curiously. 

44 You needn’t pretend you didn’t see me, 
Don Wallace. You laughed when, I went by 
and so did she. ’ ’ Elizabeth crocheted fever- 
ishly. 

44 But I didn’t see you,” he protested. 
44 Why didn’t yorn holler? ” 

44 You were with that girl.” 

44 Well, why not? Kit’s a mighty nice 
girl.” 

44 I don’t doubt it,” loftily. 

4 4 Which means you do doubt it, ’ ’ he trans- 


156 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


la ted. “ See here, Princess, what has Kit 
McAllister done to you? ” 

“ She said I was stuck up. I heard her. 
Don, you know I’m not.” 

Don bent over and examined a clover patch 
as if bent on discovering a four-leaf and did 
not answer. 

“ Don, do you think I am? ” stung by his 
silence. 

He looked up, meeting her reproachful 
gaze frankly. 

‘ ‘ You’re not a bit stuck up when anybody 
Tmows you, but I understand why the girls 
down there think you are. ’ ’ 

“ Don! ” 

“ Can’t help it, Princess. It is the truth. 
You do have a high and mighty air. You 
don’t mean it, I know, but it is there all the 
same. I wish you hadn’t. I’d like to have 
Kit and Edna and the rest see that you 
aren’t really stuck up a bit. But you never 
try to make friends, so how can they 
know? ” 

“ I — don’t know,” sighed Elizabeth. “ I 
don’t mean to be high and mighty. Truly I 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 


157 


don’t. I’m just shy. You needn’t laugh, 
Don. I am shy, and when I try to talk to 
those girls my talk gets all frozen up some- 
how. ’ ’ 

Don laughed. 

“ But, Don, what can I do? ” anxiously. 

“ Mother entertains her Sunday-school 
class next Friday evening. That’s Kit and 
Edna and Dorothy and all that bunch. I 
happen to know she is going to ask you too. 
Come on down, and I’ll bet you will get your 
vocal glacier melted.” 

“ Are you sure she is going to ask me! ” 

“ Sure.” 

“ Aunt Evelyn is so persuadable these 
days that I am almost sure she will let me 
go. Everything is all different since Miss 
Cecilia came.” 

“ The civilizing influence,” chuckled Don. 

“ Well, she is, truly. I don’t feel like the 
same girl I was a month ago, and Uncle 
Daniel is getting so human he comes and 
watches us play tennis. And I was so glad 
when he offered to give Keith violin les- 


sons. 


158 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“So were we all. It is awfully kind of 
him. Mother is so pleased.’ ’ 

“ It is very good for him. He seems so 
happy over it. You know my cousin Kenneth 
would have been just about Keith’s age. He 
was burned terribly so that he died, when 
he was only two or three years old. It nearly 
killed poor Aunt Evelyn, and Uncle Daniel 
can hardly bear to speak of him.” 

Don looked sober. He wondered if he half 
appreciated having his brothers, the happy 
family circle, unbroken. 

“ Do you know,” went on Elizabeth, “ I 
think Uncle Daniel would like to adopt 
Keith. ’ ’ 

4 4 Adopt Keith ! The idea ! Mother would 
never consent.” 

“ But wouldn’t Keith like it? Uncle Dan- 
iel could do so much for him and he never 
seems to care — ’ ’ She broke off abruptly, 
conscious that there were some things better 
left unsaid. 

“ I don’t know whether he would like it 
or not. I don’t believe he will have a chance 
to try. Keith is too queer for any one but 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 


159 


Mother to handle. As for caring — perhaps 
he cares just as much as the rest only he 
doesn’t show it the same way. Mother says 
he does, and pitched into me one day for say- 
ing what you said.” 

“ I know. I ought not to have said that,” 
apologized Elizabeth. 4 4 Miss Cecilia always 
tells me I judge everything from the outside. 
Don Wallace! ” suddenly. 

“ Well? ” 

“ I believe you are blue. I was so cross 
when you first came I didn’t notice, but you 
are. ’ ’ 

“ What makes you think so? ” he par- 
ried. 

“ Oh, I know. You can’t fool me. I do 
believe you are worrying over that stupid 
examination paper. Why do you? Nobody 
believes you took it.” 

“ Skinny does. And I didn’t do half so 
well on the re-exam, so no wonder. I was 
so scared for fear I would flunk it that I did 
pretty near. He is surer than ever that I 
cheated the first time. Really I don’t blame 
him. It does look so hanged much as if I 


160 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


did see the old thing that I’m blessed if I 
don ’t half believe it of myself. ’ ’ 

“ Don! Don’t say such dreadful things. 
Is there anything else? ” 

“ Nothing much, except that I should like 
to be cock-sure that I am going to get enough 
money together by the first of June to go 
down to the races at Marston.” 

“ Won’t your father give it to you? ” 

“ Maybe he will help if I get stuck, but I 
am supposed to be earning it myself.” 

“ How? ” 

“ Mowing our lawn and Dr. Carey’s, run- 
ning the vacuum cleaner for Mother, and 
the typewriter for Dad, and such hilarious 
jobs.” 

‘ 4 I’ll lend you some money. I always 
have more than I can spend.” 

“ Lucky you! Don’t be a goose, Princess. 
I couldn’t borrow from a girl.” 

He glanced at the lengthening shadows 
and came to his feet. 

“ Oh, Don, you aren’t going? We haven’t 
had a game.” 

“ Too late. The lawn needs my bar Serous 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 


161 


attention. Don’t pinch. Bill Shakespeare 
made ’em too. Puns are all right if you are 
smart enough to make them. Isn’t that 
right, Cis? ” as Cecilia joined them. 

“ The witness refuses to testify. Don, 
your mother just called me up to ask if you 
had invited Elizabeth to the party. Have 
you? ” 

“ Not officially. Please consider yourself 
invited,” to Elizabeth. 

“ Thank you. Please tell your mother I 
am ever so much obliged. Miss Cecilia, are 
you going? ” anxiously. “ I shall be scared 
to death if you don’t.” 

“ Don’t wonder,” chuckled Don. “ I 
should be myself. Fancy ten girls’ tongues 
all loose at once. Whew! Nothing would 
hire me to be present.” 

4 4 Of course I am going. It is only sour 
grapes with Don, Elizabeth, for he hasn’t 
been invited.” 

“ Bet I’ll come in for a share of the re- 
freshments,” he prophesied, “ if you greedy 
female gluttons don’t sweep the board. Good 
night, ladies, I’m going to leave you now. 


162 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


See me merrily roll along! ” And to the 
amusement of the “ ladies ” he removed 
himself from their presence by a series of 
handsprings, from which contortions he fi- 
nally righted himself and departed with a 
flourish of his hand and a deep bow. 

“ Isn’t he funny? ” smiled Elizabeth. 
“I’m awfully glad I know a boy like him. 
I didn’t know boys were like that.” 

“ Boys are all kinds,” said Cecilia. “ I 
think myself Don is a rather nice variety.” 

“ So do I,” said Elizabeth in hearty agree- 
ment. 

After Don finished his task he flung him- 
self into the hammock on the porch to rest 
and cool oft. From the living-room within 
he heard a murmur of voices, one of which 
he recognized with some surprise to be that 
of Mr. Daniel Page. 

“ Have you considered, Mrs. Wallace, 
what you are denying the boy? ” Mr. Page 
was saying. 

“ Same old question,” thought Don, pick- 
ing up a magazine. “ He is dippy on the 
music subject.” 


OF VARIOUS THINGS 


163 


Immediately lost in a story he heard' no 
more of the conversation until as he turned 
a page his mother’s voice arrested him to 
involuntary attention. 

“ You will understand, Mr. Page, why I 
feel peculiarly responsible for Keith and 
could not give him up even for such a career 
as you generously offer to give him.” 

“ So Elizabeth was right. He does want 
to adopt Keith,” flashed across Don’s mind. 

“ On the contrary,” the deeper voice rum- 
bled on, “ I should think you would surren- 
der him the more willingly since he — ” 

‘ ‘ Mr. Page ! ’ ’ There was quick protest 
in his mother’s voice, Don noticed. “ Please 
do not say it. Keith does not know. None 
of the boys know.” 

By this time it was dawning on Don ’s mind 
that he was listening to a conversation which 
was growing absorbingly interesting, but 
which was manifestly not meant for his ears. 
Accordingly he somewhat reluctantly re- 
moved himself from the hammock, book in 
hand, and departed out of earshot. He 
couldn’t help wondering what it was that 


164 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Keith did not know and the rest of them did 
not know, that brought that note of trouble 
to his mother’s voice. Somehow it seemed 
as if he had always known that there was 
something different about Keith. What was 
it? Then he pulled himself up shortly. Af- 
ter all it was not for him to speculate on the 
possible meaning of something which he had 
not been meant to hear. It was “ up to 
him 99 to forget it instead as 'Speedily as he 
could. 


CHAPTER XIII 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 

It was the day after what Don called the 
‘ ‘ goose party, ’ ’ and Don and Elizabeth were 
recuperating after a strenuous game of ten- 
nis. Miss Cecilia had gone to the city with 
Mrs. Page, who had to make various visits* 
to the oculists on account of a trouble which 
seemed likely to require an operation. More 
and more she had come to depend on Cecilia 
and desire her society; a fact which Eliza- 
beth rather resented, as she considered Ce- 
cilia her own special property. However, 
she could usually count on Don’s companion- 
ship, and found him a fairly satisfactory 
substitute even for her beloved Miss Cecilia. 
To-day she was full of the party and the girls 
whom she pronounced i ‘ just dear — espe- 
cially Kitty.” 

“ And she doesn’t think I am a bit stuck 
up either,” she added triumphantly. “ She 
166 


166 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


told me so herself. She is coming up to play 
tennis and we are going driving in the pony 
cart and she wants me to join her club 
and — ’ ’ 

“ And — and — and,” grinned Don. “ I 
see where yon desert the Clan completely 
after this.” 

But she shook her head in quick denial. 

“ No, indeed. You and Miss Cecilia will 
always be first and best no matter what other 
friends I make.” 

“ Much obliged,” with boyish carelessness 
of such favors. His eyes strayed to the dis- 
tant mountain-top. 

“ Gee, but it is clear to-day! Corking day 
to climb the mountain,” he commented. 

Elizabeth was alert in an instant. 

“ Come on, Don. Let’s do it,” eagerly. 

He laughed lazily. 

“ What a firecracker you are! You go off 
like a shot if a fuse comes anywhere near 
you.” 

“ Well, I’d rather be a firecracker than a 
slow match any day,” she retorted. “ Won’t 
you, Don! ” 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 


167 


4 4 I refuse,” lie punned. 

44 Why? ” impatiently. 

44 Your aunt wouldn’t like it, or Cecilia, 
either . 9 9 

44 They won’t care if I go with you. Be- 
sides, they won’t know until it is all over 
and we are safely back home. I’ll go and 
ask cook for a luncheon.” 

44 Hold on! I’ll take you next Saturday.” 

Elizabeth pouted. 

44 I don’t want to go next Saturday. It 
may rain. Besides, I want to go to-day — 
this minute.” 

44 Suppose you do. I’m not going.” 

44 Why not? ” 

44 I told you why not.” 

4 4 I wouldn’t be so good as you are, Don 
Wallace, for anything,” she taunted. 

Don flushed. No boy likes to be accused 
of goodness. 

44 I am not especially good, hut I’m not a 
sneak,” he flashed back. 

44 Thank you. Well you needn’t come. I 
certainly don’t want the company of any- 
body so horrid rude as you are to-day and 


168 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


as mean and unaccommodating. I am go- 
ing.” 

“ Go ahead. You know the way, I sup- 
pose? ” 

“ Certainly. Billy took me one day as far 
as the path. The rest is perfectly simple.’ ’ 

“ Perfectly,” agreed Don. “ Lots of fun 
you’ll have alone.” 

His teasing tone irritated the already ruf- 
fled Princess. 

61 You needn’t think you are so neces- 
sary to my happiness, Don Wallace,” she 
snapped. 

“ Don’t flatter myself to that extent, but 
knowing your fondness for an audience I 
can’t imagine your enjoying the exclusive 
pleasure of your own society.” 

“ I certainly prefer it to yours. Good-by. 
I am going to see about luncheon.” 

Don sprang to his feet. 

“ Princess, you won’t really go alone! ” 

She couldn’t very well explain that this 
was only a strategic method of inducing him 
to yield, so she only tossed her head and 
demanded, “ Why not? ” 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 


169 


44 You know why not,” soberly. 

Elizabeth tried a new tack. 

44 Don, please, please, come. I’d lots 
rather you would. Please.” 

He smiled a little at her sudden change of 
base, which reassured him for the moment, 
but shook his head the more decidedly. 

44 No, Princess. I can’t, honest.” 

4 4 Then I shall go alone, ’ ’ she delivered her 
ultimatum. 

44 You don’t dare,” rashly. 

That was the climax. She hadn’t the 
slightest desire to go alone, but to be told 
she didn’t dare was too much for any Prin- 
cess. 

“I’ll show you I do dare, so there, Don 
Wallace! ” 

44 Don’t be a goose.” 

44 I am not a goose, and I like my own way 
every bit as well as you like yours, and you 
can’t tease or scare me into giving in, either. 
I am going to climb Amanock to-day with 
you if you will come, without you if you 
won’t. You can do just as you please.” 

It was her trump card, and the willful 


170 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Princess knew it. Don hesitated, torn be- 
tween two fires, scarcely knowing whether 
to give in and go with her in spite of his 
better judgment, or to stick it out and let 
her go alone if she would. 

“ Don’t believe she’ll really go anyway,” 
he thought, and added nonchalantly aloud, 
“ Suit yourself. I’ve had my say. I hope 
you will enjoy yourself.” And with appar- 
ent carelessness he turned away. 

Elizabeth could hardly believe her ears 
that Don was actually deserting her. She 
had been so sure he would give in in the end. 
Of course there was no desire left in her for 
the excursion, only a hard little defiant will 
to show she wasn’t afraid. Don was already 
vanishing from sight, down the avenue. His 
heedless whistle, and the very easy slouch 
of his shoulders, exasperated her, and made 
her resolve desperately to fulfil her threat. 
The servants were now so accustomed to her 
going off on excursions with the Wallace 
boys that they made no question now, sup- 
posing that she was to meet them somewhere 
along the way. So unthwarted, a solitary 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 


171 


little figure trudged its determined, if rather 
miserable, way along the mile of highway 
which wound to the foot of the mountain. 
She had grown so used to the society of Don 
or Cecilia, or both, that she felt bitterly 
lonely and strange. It was very hot and 
dusty, too, but she kept stubbornly on until 
she reached the shady path which led up the 
mountain. It looked very steep and unal- 
luring and she wished with all her heart she 
had not ventured. Her own sweet will some- 
how was far from being sweet now that she 
had it. She almost decided to turn back. 
But the hot stretch of road looked hopelessly 
discouraging. Besides, Don had said she 
didn’t dare. How he would tease if he knew 
she had given in after having come so far. 
Resolutely, therefore, she started up the 
winding path. Even under the thick shade 
of the trees, it was hot as it approached the 
noon hour. She was too tired and lonely to 
find any pleasure in the beauty around her. 
The screaming blue jays and chattering 
squirrels were poor substitutes for Don’s 
society. At length she sat down and ate her 


172 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


luncheon, but even that, delicious as it was, 
choked her. Every one knows that a picnic 
alone is no picnic at all. She threw herself 
on the grass under a big tree and looked up 
through the boughs at the white clouds mov- 
ing like so many lazy sheep in the blue above. 
It was all very soothing and the Princess 
was very, very tired. 

Suddenly gigantic squirrels as big as lions 
began to leap from bough to bough over her 
head, and bluejays as large as Billy’s ducks 
screamed, “ You don’t dare! You don’t 
dare! ” at her. Presently the taunt was 
silenced by the roar of the squirrel-lions, 
and with a horrified certainty that they were 
about to spring upon her and devour her 
Elizabeth sat up rubbing her eyes. 

Neither bluejays nor squirrels of any size 
were visible, but the blue and gold world of 
an hour ago was gone. The sky was inky, 
and suddenly a brassy light illuminated it, 
followed almost simultaneously by a tremen- 
dous roar of thunder which reverberated 
heavily from the mountain. The Princess 
was no coward but she shivered. It was no 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 


173 


light tiling to be half-way up a mountain, 
under thick trees, in one of those terrific 
thunder-storms which follow the river. 

There was another crashing roar, not 
thunder this time but the wind suddenly let 
loose, tearing down the slope, and at the 
same moment the heavy rain-drops began 
to patter on the leaves. 

“ Oh,” she gasped miserably, “ if only 
Don were here! ” 

And magically through the tumult of 
sound came a clear “ bob-white ” whistle, 
Don’s familiar call. She ran down the path, 
hallooing back as she sped unheeding the 
rain or indeed anything save the cheering 
promise of Don’s nearness. A turn of the 
path brought Czar and Czar’s master to 
view. 

“ Hello, Princess! Think it’s going to 
rain? ” gaily. 

“ Oh, Don! ” 

“ Oh, Elizabeth! Here, put this on,” di- 
vesting himself of his sweater. “ You’ll 
be wetter than a drowned rat in a min- 


ute.” 


174 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ But, Don, you’ll get wet yourself. I 
won ’t. ’ ’ 

“ Don’t stop to argue. Put it on,” he 
ordered, and Elizabeth with rare meekness 
obeyed. ‘ 4 Now then — into the cave. Luck- 
ily it is only a step from here. It’s coming 
down two-forty.” 

Five minutes later they were all — girl, 
hoy, and dog — safely stowed away in snug 
quarters in the Giant Cave, and the wrath 
of the storm was descending in all its unbri- 
dled fury. It was an experience that Eliza- 
beth never forgot. The wind went crashing 
through the trees like an infuriated wild 
beast and there was no mercy in its path. 
Slender saplings were bent or snapped like 
dry reeds and dead branches were hurled 
relentlessly to earth. The air was fairly 
tingling with electricity, the storm, a mighty, 
destructive force, made itself awfully and 
magnificently visible the while in wild light 
and audible in deafening sound. 

“ Great, isn’t it! ” said Don. “ Don’t 
worry, Princess. We are as safe as any- 
thing in here. Box seats at the best show; 


UP THE MOUNTAIN 


175 


of the season. We don’t often have ’em as 
good as this,” regretfully. 

44 Don! What if I had been out there! ” 
44 You would have gotten some wet.” 

4 4 I should have just died of fright,” she 
shuddered. 44 I know I should. Or else I 
should have been struck by lightning. Don, 
what made you come! ” 

44 I telephoned up to the Pines and found 
you weren’t at home so I tagged to share the 
fun.” 

44 Don, you are a dear. And you haven’t 
said 4 I told you so ’ even. I was horrid, and 
you were right. It was sneaky, and I haven’t 
had a good time at all.” 

44 Haven’t you! ” He forebore for once 
to tease, knowing that tears were not far 
behind the quaver in the voice of the Prin- 
cess. 44 Jerusalem! ” 

The exclamation was called forth by a red 
line of fire which went flashing down a huge 
ash-tree not six feet from the cave. There 
was a sharp splintering sound, a cannonade 
of thunder and then a breathless silence. A 
deep black gash in the tree told the story of 


176 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


the devastating line of flame which had some- 
how extinguished itself in the earth. 

“ Oh, Don,” whispered Elizabeth. “ I 
might have been out there alone.” 

“ Just as well to prove an alibi,” lightly. 
4 ‘ All right, old boy, ” as a moist nose rubbed 
against his hand. “ How do you like it? 
Worse than the great and glorious Fourth, 
isn’t it? ” 

Czar snuggled closer and laid his head con- 
tentedly against Don’s knee as much as to 
say, u We are all right. We have each 
other. ’ ’ 

“ Don, how can you joke about it? It — 
it was awful.” 

Don smiled a little and ran a caressing 
hand over the dog’s head. 

“ Perhaps that is just why I joke,” he 
observed. Then, leaning forward, he peered 
out of the cave entrance to investigate the 
weather. “ It has stopped raining,” he an- 
nounced. “ Evidently that was the grand 
finale. Come on, Princess. We may as well 
swim home.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


TO THE KESCUE 

Elizabeth, looking rather forlorn and be- 
draggled in her soiled wet blue linen and 
Don’s clumsy grey sweater, patiently fol- 
lowed her leader’s rather strenuous pace 
down the wet, slippery slope. She felt very 
small and meek and depressed and uncom- 
fortable. Don was kind, but she knew he 
must think her an awful goose, and a tardily 
awakened conscience began to dwell upon 
how Miss Cecilia would regard the escapade. 
Besides, she was very tired, and Don was 
going very Hast, and the water felt horrid 
and heavy, squdging up and down in her 
shoes. Presently Don looked back and mod- 
erated his speed, penitently seeing the poor 
Princess’ weary state. 

“ We can’t be much wetter than we are,” 
he observed. “ Let’s take the short cut past 
the Robbins place.” 


177 


178 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Elizabeth followed in silence, but as they 
neared the scene of their recent adventure 
she suddenly stopped short. 

“ Don, did you hear anything? ” 

66 No. Did you? ” 

“ Listen.’ ’ 

This time Don did hear something, a muf- 
fled sounding cry with a note of terror in it. 

“ Somebody’s in trouble. I wonder — 
Elizabeth,” as the call was repeated, “ I 
believe that comes from the house. The 
ghost, perhaps.” 

u Don’t, Don. I’m afraid. Come away.” 

“ Hold on, Princess. If there is any one 
in trouble it’s up to ns to investigate. They 
may be in our trap. Hello there ! ’ ’ his voice 
rang out clear. “ Where are you? ” 

“ Here,” came a faint response. 

“ There is somebody in there,” and, with- 
out stopping to excuse himself, Don, with 
Czar at his heels, deserted his companion 
and went loping through the long grass to 
the old house. He called again as he went, 
and this time the answer reached him dis- 
tinctly, a sharp staccato word, “ Help! ” 


TO THE RESCUE 


179 


“ Coming! Where are you? ” he called 
hack cheerily, by this time having effected 
an entrance through the unlocked door. 

“ Cellar.” And waiting no further direc- 
tions Don plunged down the rickety stairs. 
The light fell dimly through the cob webbed 
windows and no human form was visible. 

44 In here! Here! ” cried a voice which 
sounded familiar to Don, though he could not 
at the moment place it. 44 There is a spring 
lock. Can you find it? ” 

44 Sure. Hold on.’’ He felt along the wall 
for the spring and came upon it quite as 
accidentally as he had on the previous occa- 
sion. The door swung open, precipitating 
Don himself into the dim room of which he 
had no pleasant memories. 

44 For Heaven’s sake, don’t let it shut! ” 
groaned the voice which now appeared to be 
that of Ned Evans. 4 ‘ That’s what it did 
on us.” 

But Don had no intention of being caught 
twice in that predicament, and had already 
put himself between the open door and the 
wall. As his eyes became accustomed to the 


180 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


light he made out another figure in the room, 
that of his 4 4 intimate enemy/ ’ Rod Stevens. 
The two staggered past him into the open 
cellar and he could see that Stevens was 
ghastly pale. 

u Whew! ” whistled Evans. “ I never 
in my life was so glad to hear a human 
voice.” 

“ Been in long? ” queried Don, sympa- 
thetically. “ I tried it /once for a half-hour 
or so and I didn’t like it much.” 

“ Since about ten this morning,” an- 
swered Evans soberly. 

“ Didn’t you find the passage-way? ” 

“ Passage-way? ” 

“ Evidently you didn’t. There is one, 
though. Underground. Look. I’ll show 
you. Hold that confounded door, though.” 

“ You don’t get me in there again. I’ll 
take your word for it. Where does it start? 
I didn’t see anything but a kind of hole in 
the wall. Was that it? ” 

“ It sure was. Pity you didn’t know it. 
I blundered on it myself. ‘ See here, I am 
going to find that blooming spring. It has 


TO THE RESCUE 


181 


been accidental every time I’ve struck it so 
far.” 

“ It is one of the bolts, or looks like one. 
Here — this one. It must have rusted so it 
doesn’t work from inside, if it ever did. 
Let’s roll a keg or something over and wedge 
the door open. I’d hate to think of any other 
poor devils getting caught in there.” 

“ I don’t suppose many idiots go blunder- 
ing round down here,” said Don, as he 
helped the other arrange his charitable bar- 
ricade. “ I say, Evans,” in a lower tone, 
‘ ‘ better get Rod out of this. He looks about 
all in. ’ ’ 

“I’m all right,” said Stevens gruffly, 
speaking for the first time. But he looked 
far from all right, and, indeed, it had been 
a tough experience for both boys. 

“My, but it is good to see daylight!” 
exclaimed Ned, as they emerged from the 
house. “ I say, Don, I don’t know how you 
happened to be here, but I’m mighty thank- 
ful you were, and if there is anything I can 
do for you ever, just ask, that’s all.” 

“ That’s all right. I am as glad as you 


182 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


are I did bob up in the nick of time. I got 
caught in the storm with Elizabeth Page. 
She is over there waiting for me now. ,, 

“ Oh ! ” If he had been in a less chastened 
mood Ned would have loved dearly to tease 
Don a little on the situation, for the latter’s 
intimacy with the little lady of the Pines 
had gone neither unnoticed nor uncom- 
mented on by his comrades, though Don had 
gone his usual serene way undisturbed by 
jests and gibes so long as they had been 
directed solely in his own direction. A 
sneering or slighting reference to the Prin- 
cess however had roused his quick wrath 
every time, and he had been by no means 
slow in impressing on his companions that 
such allusions were not to be tolerated. It 
was even rumored that one lad rasher than 
the rest had tried Don’s never too depend- 
able temper a shade too far and had borne 
off a bleeding nose and purple eye as the 
result of his infringement of the unwritten 
law, though neither Don nor the victim tes- 
tified as to the truth of the report. 

On this occasion Don briefly introduced 


TO THE RESCUE 


183 


his companions and deliberately fell back 
with Elizabeth. So, across the sodden grass 
of the rain-drenched fields and the muddy 
roads the rather ill-assorted company pro- 
ceeded silently until they came to the cross- 
ways where Elizabeth’s path separated from 
the village hoys’. 

“ You needn’t come up, Don,” she pro- 
tested. 

44 How do I know that you won’t set 
to mountain-climbing again! ” he laughed. 
44 No, indeed, I shall see you safe inside the 
Pines before I leave you.” 

44 Of course, I’d rather you would,” she 
sighed, relieved, 44 but I didn’t want to make 
more of a nuisance of myself than I have 
already.” She glanced ahead at the others, 
wondering if they wouldn’t make fun of 
Don. He followed her gaze and her thought. 
44 You needn’t worry about me,” he assured 
her. 4 4 I am accustomed to doing as I please 
without reference to those gentlemen. So 
long, fellows,” he added in a louder tone. 
44 We are leaving you here.” 

Evans turned back quickly. 


184 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ See here, Don, Pm not much on words 
but I do want you to know I appreciate what 
you have done for us. I’m more obliged 
than I can say.” 

“ Cut it,” protested Don amiably. “ I 
am mighty glad I could help you out. ’By. ’ ’ 
And he turned up the hill road with Eliza- 
beth, while Czar patiently trotted alongside. 

‘ 4 That horrid Stevens boy never even said 
thank you ! ” ' exclaimed Elizabeth indig- 
nantly. 

4 4 He is a surly beggar anyhow and hates 
me like sin. I suppose it was poison to have 
it be me who happened to come to his rescue. 
No wonder he hadn’t anything to say. Take 
that back, though. I guess I might not have 
much polite conversation left if I had been 
in that trap over six hours.” 

“ It must have been dreadful,” shivered 
Elizabeth. “ Don! ” She stopped sud- 
denly. 

“ Well? ” 

i 6 Did it ever strike you that Stevens might 
have put that paper in your notebook? ” 
Don grinned. 


TO THE RESCUE 


185 


“ Is thy servant a fool? ” he inquired. 
“ Of course it has struck me.” 

“ Did you tell Mr. Channing? ” 

“ Tell him what? That I had a bright 
idea without a shadow of proof? Well, 
hardly. ’ ’ 

“ Oh, dear,” sighed Elizabeth perplex- 
edly. “ Boys are so funny! ” 

“ Funnier than girls? ” he teased. 

She flushed, remembering her escapade. 

“ Oh, Don, I was a goose this morning, 
and I am ashamed, but truly it was partly 
your fault. If you hadn’t said I didn’t dare 
I never, never would have gone.” 

“ So that was it,” he chuckled. “ I might 
have known. I’ll manage my tongue better 
next time. I wonder if your aunt and Cis 
are home.” 

“ Not yet. They didn’t expect to get in 
until six-ten. I’ll have a chance to get 
proper and respectable by the time they 
come. I’ve a great mind not to tell Miss 
Cecilia at all,” she added suddenly. 

He did not speak, and she shot a quick 
sideways glance at him, having learned that 


186 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


silence was sometimes fully as significant as 
words from him. 

“ What are yon thinking about? ” she 
demanded. 

“ The thoughts of Douglas are his own,” 
he misquoted lightly. 

“ You are thinking that it is sneakier not 
to tell than it was to go,” she burst out 
sharply. 

“ Maybe,” said Don, “ maybe not. I 
can’t pretend to judge for you. But that is 
the Clan system. We are bound to tell on 
ourselves.” 

“ But do you really, Don? When you’ve 
done something really, dreadfully bad? ” 

“ The badder the more obligation,” he 
smiled. “ It’s a pretty good system, Prin- 
cess, especially for a lot of crazy boys who 
are likely to do ’most any old thing.” 

“ But do you ever do anything really bad, 
like my going alone this morning when I 
knew Aunt Evelyn would be scandalized and 
Miss Cecilia wouldn’t approve? ” 

“ Sure. I’ve done lots worse. You don’t 
expect me to boast about my feats in that 


TO THE RESCUE 


187 


line, do you! ” with a twinkle in his eyes. 
6 ‘ If you really want what the rhetorics call 
a specific instance I’ll contribute the fact 
that only last winter when Dad was away, 
Mother and I disagreed about the safety of 
the ice on the river and she said I couldn’t 
go skating. I went just the same. Inciden- 
tally, she was right and I was wrong, and 
several fellows went through. But that point 
is immaterial. You can bet it wasn’t much 
fun owning up that time. Father made me 
quit skating the rest of the season, and I 
missed hockey and the ice carnival and heaps 
of things, and I made up my mind I wouldn’t 
be that kind of a blame fool again, and up 
to date I haven’t been, though I’m always 
eligible to the fool society, of course.” 

“ But did anybody know you had gone 
skating 1 ? ” 

“ Not a soul.” 

“ What made you tell then? ” 

“ Clan honor pledge,” briefly. 

Elizabeth drew a long breath. 

“ I think it is just splendid,” she volun- 
teered. “ I’m going to make an honor 


188 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


pledge all to myself. Only I do believe I 
would have told Miss Cecilia anyway. She 
won’t scold, but I shall feel smaller and 
smaller until I just wish I could disappear 
in a crack, only there is never a crack handy, 
so I have to stay and face it.” 

Don laughed. 

“ Must be a Carroll trait. Mother’s like 
that, too. Cheer up, Princess. It’s an ill 
wind that blows nobody good, and I guess 
there are some people who are glad enough 
we went up Amanock this particular day.” 

“ We! Oh, Don, you are nice sometimes.” 


CHAPTER XV 


THE SOLUTION 

“ They say Rod Stevens has left school,” 
announced Jerry to Don on the following 
Monday morning. 

u Left school! That’s funny! What is 
he quitting so near the end of the term for? ” 
puzzled Don. “ What is he going to do? ” 
Work in his uncle’s mill in Harrisville 
Ned says. Ned looks wise. I’ll eat my hat 
if there’s not something behind all this. Do 
you suppose the old man has found out? ” 

“ Found out what? ” blandly from Don. 

“ Oh, you know. You won’t let one of us 
say it, but I bet you think just the same as 
the rest of us do.” 

“ Free country,” grinned Don. “ You 
can think what you please, Jeremiah, and so 
can I, but, as I’ve said before, one’s thoughts 
aren’t always fit for publication. Better not 
let your imagination run away with you.” 

189 


190 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


44 All the same, I’ll bet there is something 
up,” persisted Jerry. 

44 There’ll be something up if you don’t 
hush your clam-trap. The bell has rung.” 

After the opening exercises Mr. Channing 
did not dismiss the classes as usual, and 
Jerry sent a triumphant glance in Don’s 
direction. There was sufficient gravity in 
the principal’s manner as he unfolded a let- 
ter to warrant the assumption that there was 
44 something up.” 

44 I have here,” he announced, 44 a letter 
from Eodman Stevens, who has ceased to be 
a member of the school. The letter is ad- 
dressed to me, but it concerns you all, and 
indeed it is his wish that I should make its 
contents public. May I ask your attention 
while I read the letter? 

44 4 I have left school, and when you have 
read this letter you will be glad. So will 
the rest. Please read the letter to them, too. 
Don Wallace didn’t take that paper. I took 
it and put it into his notebook, where I hoped 
you would find it and think he was guilty. 


THE SOLUTION 


191 


Everybody knows I didn’t like Wallace, but 
nobody knows bow I bated liim. He won out 
in everything I wanted to win out in and 
didn’t. The fellows liked him and they 
didn’t like me. I wanted to be a leader the 
way be was and I couldn’t be. I used to lie 
awake nights trying to plan some way to get 
even with him and pull him down some way, 
especially to get him off the team, if I could. 
Then the way just opened. Mr. Skinner 
dropped that paper and I picked it up. 
When I saw what it was I knew I had the 
chance I had been waiting for. The whole 
thing was before me like a flash. I thought 
I could get Wallace into the particular kind 
of scrape I wanted to get him in, get him off 
the team, into disgrace, make him unpopular 
and suspected. I remembered what I heard 
him say about the examination, and I knew 
his marks were low enough to make the thing 
look plausible, especially as everybody knew 
he had to drop out of baseball if he flunked. 
It all worked out just exactly as I planned, 
except for the one thing. I hadn’t reckoned 
on how far a reputation for honesty would 


192 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


carry anybody in spite of evidence. You 
wouldn’t believe Don guilty and neither 
would the school. Everybody knew, just as 
Jerry said, that Don was straight and they 
weren’t so sure about me. The whole thing 
made him more popular and me more unpop- 
ular, for everybody suspected me, though 
Wallace wouldn’t let them say so or put you 
on my track. Of course the whole thing 
made me hate him worse than ever. 

“ 4 Yesterday Ned Evans and I got shut 
up by accident in a deserted house. There 
wasn’t one chance in a hundred that any one 
would come to our rescue, but that one 
chance came, and it was Don Wallace who 
got us out of the trap, saved our lives, I 
honestly believe. I am not much good, but 
after that I felt as if it was up to me to clear 
Don Wallace. I ought to have come and 
done it myself but I couldn’t face it. I am 
leaving town to-night, but I hope this letter 
will undo the mischief as far as I can undo 
it. Perhaps you won’t all despise me quite 
so much now I have done the square thing 
at last. Wallace played fair all along, and 


THE SOLUTION 


193 


I wish I had, but it is too late now to change 
things. I hope Wallace and the rest won’t 
think too hard of me. 

44 4 Rodman Stevens.’ ” 

There was a moment’s hush, then a stamp- 
ing of feet, and a half subdued 44 Rah, rah, 
rah! Wallace! ” But Mr. Channing lifted 
his hand with a peremptory gesture and the 
demonstration subsided. 

44 I sympathize heartily with your satis- 
faction in having Wallace’s name cleared,” 
he proceeded. 44 But I am no more con- 
vinced of his honesty now than I was the 
day he was accused. His reputation can and 
has taken care of itself, as this letter has 
assured you. Just now I am more concerned 
with Rodman Stevens, who has done a tre- 
mendously difficult and courageous thing in 
a manly way that must go far to reinstate 
him in our respect.” 

Don was on his feet in an instant. 

44 1 propose three cheers and a tiger for 
Rod Stevens. Ready! ” And the room re- 
sounded with a cheer, the heartiness of which 


194 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


would have been balm to the absent Rod’s 
heart could he have heard it. 

In spite of his triumphant vindication the 
affair was far from making Don particularly 
pleased, and there was a puzzled frown on 
his face as he went up to the Pines for the 
game of tennis which was becoming an al- 
most daily event. 

“ Don,” protested Elizabeth, when she 
had heard the story, “ I should think you 
would be too happy for anything, but you 
don’t look glad one bit,” surveying him crit- 
ically. 

66 Well, but, Princess, how can I be glad 
when it means Rod’s leaving school really on 
my account ? ” 

“ Don! How silly! He isn’t leaving on 
your account, but because he did a horrid 
mean thing which he didn’t dare face.” 

“ Oh, come now, Elizabeth,” objected Don. 

‘ ‘ He did face it. The letter was fine. ’ ’ 

“ Maybe it was. Yes, I suppose it was for 
him,” she admitted grudgingly. “ But, Don, 
if it had been you, you wouldn’t have run 
away. You know you wouldn’t.” 


THE SOLUTION 


195 


“ I don’t know what I should have done,” 
said Don soberly. “ But I do know it is a 
shame for a fellow to quit school in the last 
month of his Junior year and go into a mill. 
Stevens had a mighty good chance of get- 
ting the Marston scholarship if he stayed 
another year. ’ ’ 

“ So have you.” 

“ I know. And it is because I am so anx- 
ious for it myself that I can imagine how 
Stevens felt about it. He is not blessed with 
wealth any more than I am, and I know he 
wanted to go on to college. Now that is 
squashed flat on account of this mess for 
which I am more or less responsible.” 

“ You! But you are not, Don. That is 
perfect nonsense. Didn’t he say himself you 
had played fair? ” 

“ Well, I did, of course, but I guess there 
is such a thing as giving good measure, 
heaped up instead of just even full.” 

“ Don, whatever are you talking about? 
It sounds like the Bible.” 

He grinned a little sheepishly. 

‘ 4 Maybe it is. That is the worst of being 


196 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


a minister’s son and having to go to church 
so much. You can’t escape the germ. I 
don’t know,” he added more soberly, “ that 
I quite know myself what I am talking about. 
It’s only that perhaps playing fair isn’t 
enough. I didn’t try to queer him of course 
as he did me, but neither did I try to help 
him any way, and I was glad every time I 
won out against him. The prize speaking 
especially — ’ ’ He broke off a little con- 
fusedly. 

“ What about it? You won it fair and 
square, didn’t you? ” 

“ Yes, I suppose I did. But I worked to 
beat Bod Stevens. It wasn’t that I cared 
so much about the medal. I’m not very 
proud of that victory, Princess. I never 
have been. I never forgot the way my father 
looked at me that night when every one else 
was congratulating me. He didn ’t say a word 
but he understood all the same. He preached 
a sermon next Sunday on ‘ What shall it 
profit a man? ’ I suppose incidentally a 
good many people were hit by that sermon, 
but it was aimed at me and I knew it. Then 


THE SOLUTION 


197 


there was the election this spring. I knew 
Rod wanted to be captain of the team. He 
wonld have been a good one, too, and it 
would have made him loyal to the school and 
feel different about us all. I had been cap- 
tain two years. I might have stepped back 
and let him have it. The fellows were just 
waiting to see what I would do. Well, I — 
took it again.’ ’ 

“ You had a perfect right,” a little half- 
heartedly from Elizabeth, who was begin- 
ning to understand a little more what Don 
was driving at. 

“ Yes,” he agreed, “ I had a perfect right. 
I didn’t do one thing to sway the others 
against Rod or to toot my own horn, but I 
might have swayed them — for him. ’ ’ 

“ You weren’t obliged to,” loyally. 

“No, I wasn’t obliged to, but I guess 
there is such a thing as noblesse oblige , and 
I didn’t make much of a showing along those 
lines. If Stevens quits school for good and 
all it will be partly my fault, and it is a good 
deal of a responsibility.” 

“ Can’t you get him to come back? ” 


198 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ It is a good deal to ask of a fellow, Prin- 
cess. It will be no joke to come back and 
face the music now.” 

“ But couldn’t you help to make it easy 
for him? It seems to me the boys do 
pretty much what you tell them to do,” 
shrewdly. 

“ I should certainly try if he came, but 
would he want my help? ” 

“ I believe he would if — Don, you’d have 
to tell Mr. Channing and the boys and Rod 
what you have been telling me.” 

Don sat rolling his tennis ball meditatively 
about on his racket. 

4 1 It is a good deal to ask of a fellow,” 
he repeated after a moment, he himself being 
the “ fellow ” this time. 

4 4 I know it is,” said Elizabeth earnestly. 
“ But I believe you are going to do it just 
the same. Aren’t you, Don? ” 

“ Maybe,” non-committally. “ Anyway, 
I’ll begin with Mr. Channing. I happen to 
know he is a good deal troubled by Rod’s 
leaving school, and perhaps he will help me 
get him to come back if he understands that 



DON SAT ROLLING HIS TENNIS BALL MEDITATIVELY 
ABOUT ON HIS RACKET ” 










































































I 












I 





















THE SOLUTION 


199 


I will try to smooth out things as far as I 
can. 9 ’ 

“ Good for yon, Don. I think that is just 
splendid of you. And I hope you will suc- 
ceed. Oh, Don, I have to go to the city next 
week with Aunt Evelyn and Miss Cecilia, 
while Auntie has the operation. I’d lots 
rather stay here. I just wish they would let 
me.” 

“ Cheer up, Princess. You will soon be 
home again, and by that time it will be vaca- 
tion. Rupert will do the honors of Marston 
for you and Cecilia, and I am coming to the 
race for sure, and we’ll all go together. I’m 
off now, for I want to catch the old man and 
get this business off my mind. Much obliged 
to your Highness for listening to my ravings 
so patiently. Sometimes it helps to say 
things out loud.” 

But it was not from Don that Elizabeth 
learned the sequel of his “ ravings.” It was 
much later from the lips of the enthusiastic 
Kitty McAllister that she heard how Don 
carried the whole school with him in a splen- 
did speech, in which he generously took upon 


200 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


himself a good deal of the blame for Stevens’ 
unfortunate position, and urged them all to 
make a hard situation as easy as possible 
for Eod if he came back to school, as Mr. 
Channing hoped he would. 

“ It isn’t just talk with Don either,” Kitty 
had added. “ He means it and he does it, 
too. The rest of us just follow him like so 
many sheep. We always have. We wouldn’t 
dare be mean to Rod if we wanted to ever 
so badly if Don was on his side. That’s the 
way Don is. He doesn’t boss exactly, but 
he makes you see things his way.” 

Which was true, as Elizabeth had more 
than once had occasion to know. 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE SURE ’No-Gan HEROINE 

Elizabeth went flying along the road on 
her black pony, for she had already stayed 
longer at Kitty’s than she had intended and 
was afraid Miss Cecilia would be anxious. 
It was a splendid stretch of level road any- 
way, just meant for a race, and she was go- 
ing away so soon it might he her last chance 
for a good ride. Suddenly, however, she 
reined in Jet so abruptly that she almost 
sent the pony back upon her haunches. 

“ Jetty, dear,” she asked, “ didn’t you 
hear somebody scream? ” 

Jet turned her head sympathetically and 
whinnied. Almost like an echo came the 
shrill sound that had first attracted Eliza- 
beth’s sharp ears. 

“ There is somebody, but where? ” she 
wondered. She looked in all directions. 

201 


202 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


There seemed to be no place from which a 
human scream could possibly come. Then, 
with a sudden flash of instinct, Elizabeth 
sent Jet crashing through the bushes down to 
the river. The river itself went flowing 
tranquilly along as if it held no hint of fear 
or danger. Sharply the Princess scanned 
the current but saw nothing save the rippling 
blue of the water. Again, however, the 
sound came; a long drawn wail of misery, 
unmistakably a child’s. This time she saw 
whence it came. A few rods from shore was 
a small island, and on this island stood a 
sailor-suited youngster lifting his voice to 
Heaven. 

“ Why! Why, Jetty, it’s Robin! ” she 
cried. “ All right, Robin,” she called more 
loudly. 11 Wait, I’ll come for you.” 

“ Come, ’Lizbeth. I’m all a-lo-ne.” The 
voice was still hoarse with recent distress, 
but there was a distinct note of relief in 
it. 

“ Jetty, Jetty, what am I to do? ” im- 
plored Elizabeth. “ There isn’t a boat any- 
where near here, and I couldn’t row if there 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 203 


were. I’ll just have to go and get Don or 
somebody. Wait, Robin/ ’ she called again. 
4 4 I’ll come back as soon as I can.” 

The sailor-suited figure executed a little 
war-dance, whether of despair at being again 
deserted or joy at the prospect of rescue will 
not be known. The fact remains, however, 
that before Elizabeth’s horrified eyes the 
small boy tripped and rolled down the bank 
straight into the water. 

“ Jet, we can’t wait for a boat,” gasped 
Elizabeth. u We have to do it ourselves.” 
With white cheeks and scared eyes, for Eliz- 
abeth was mortally afraid, she drove Jet 
straight into the current. “ Swim, Jet, 
dear,” she begged. “ You must. You must. 
I can’t, but you must.” 

Luckily Jet could, and did. With the 
brave little figure on her back she breasted 
the stream, heading straight, with that fine 
equine instinct which sometimes seems more 
adequate than human reasoning, to the very 
spot where Robin had gone down. Fortu- 
nately, too, Robin also could swim a little. 
Not for nothing was he a member of what 


204 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Rupert called 4 4 the aquatic tribe,” and 
dweller in a river town. As he came up he 
struck out valiantly, but his spasmodic ef- 
forts would not have carried him far in the 
whirling current, not even to shore, a dis- 
tance that any of his brothers, save possibly 
Keith, who hated the water, would have con- 
sidered a mere nothing. 

His courageous keeping afloat, however, 
gave Elizabeth and Jet the opportunity they 
sought. Clinging fast to Jet’s mane with 
one hand, Elizabeth slipped one foot from 
the stirrup and leaned over, extending the 
other hand to Robin. He, however, snatched 
not the hand, which might have pulled Eliza- 
beth over, but the empty stirrup. 

“ ’M all right. Let ’er go,” he spluttered. 

Jet scrambled to her feet in the shallows 
around the island, which jutted off abruptly 
into the deep channel. She gave a tremen- 
dous shake to her wet body and turned in- 
quiring eyes to her mistress for the next 
command. 

Robin let go the stirrup and stood waist 
deep in the water. 



“ SHE CAME OF AN INDOMITABLE RACE AND WAS NOT TO 
BE DEFEATED BY MERE WATER ” 





















THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 205 


“ Lemme up behind you,” he ordered. 
“ She can’t land here. She’ll sink in this 
sand anyway. Make her take us across. She 
can. ’ ’ 

Without waiting for Elizabeth’s shudder- 
ing nod of assent he scrambled up the slip- 
pery flank of the pony. 

“ Ready,” he announced. 

Jet seemed to recognize the masculine au- 
thority couched in the diminutive figure in 
the sailor suit and off she floundered again 
in the deep water. It was no easy task for 
the plucky little pony, heavily burdened and 
fighting with the swift current, but she came 
of an indomitable race and was not to be 
defeated by mere water, and the two chil- 
dren were safely landed in time on dry land. 

“ G-great, wasn’t it? ” muttered Robin 
gamely through chattering teeth. 

“ Too great for me,” shuddered the Prin- 
cess. u Oh, you blessed, blessed Jetty!” 
and she put both arms around the pony’s 
neck and made it wetter by a few tears. 
“ How did you ever get there all alone and 
without any boat? 99 she asked Robin. 


206 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


His lip quivered ever so little and he shook 
his head. 

“ Don’t ask questions, ’Lizbeth. Take me 
home, please.” 

“ Goodness me! I should say so,” sud- 
denly realizing the facts. 4 4 Your mother 
must be worried to death, and we are soaked 
to the skin.” 

As it happened, Mrs. Wallace had thought 
Robin was with Billy, and had not been wor- 
ried until she saw the drenched and fright- 
ened children. But even she was not able to 
extract any satisfactory explanation as to 
why her youngest was marooned on the 
island alone. He murmured vague observa- 
tions about pirates with black beards and 
dirks, “ with no clothes on,” all of which 
was so palpably fiction as to be useless for 
purposes of genuine information. The hero 
of the adventure was far less chary of com- 
ment concerning the details of his rescue, 
and described the whole performance with 
such thrilling effect that Don shouted, 
“Hip! Hip! Hooray for the Princess! 
She’s a sure ’nough heroine,” and Mrs. 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 207 


Wallace came and kissed her with eyes abrim 
with tears. 

“ My dear, dear little girl,” she whis- 
pered. “ I owe you more than I can say.” 

“ I’m so glad — -so glad I could,” said 
Elizabeth, the tears actually rolling down 
her own cheeks just to show how glad she 
was. “ It was really Jetty,” she added. 
“ I couldn’t have done a thing without 
her. ’ ’ 

Then Mrs. Wallace telephoned up to the 
Pines that she was keeping the Princess 
overnight, and the heroine was with some 
difficulty persuaded to go to bed and submit 
to an alcohol rub and an internal dose of 
hot lemonade, a similar infliction being per- 
formed upon Robin, while Don ministered to 
the comfort and well-being of the gallant 
Jet. 

“ What do you suppose Bobby means by 
his pirate yarn? ” puzzled Keith, who had 
followed Don to the stable. 

“ Humph! Not much trouble to guess 
that,” said Don. “ If ever a kid deserved 
an all-fired thrashing it’s Billy Wallace. 


208 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Robing too game to tell, but I know, and 
I’ll bet Mother does, too. I wouldn’t be in 
his shoes for a pretty penny.” 

Don’s theory was further justified by 
Billy’s failure to appear at supper time, an 
unusual omission on the part of that per- 
ennially hungry individual. Mrs. Wallace 
looked worried, and after supper asked Don 
to go and see if he could find the missing 
member of the Clan. 

Don lifted his eyebrows. 

“ Just where in this dinky little universe 
am I to look for my invaluable brother? ” 
he inquired. 

“ Don, dear, I am afraid it is no joking 
matter. How would you feel if you had left 
Robin on the Island and then come back to 
find him gone? ” 

“ That’s so,” agreed Don soberly. 4 ‘ You 
do think Billy is at the bottom of the pirate 
business then? ” 

“ I know his dramatic instincts too well 
to think otherwise,” she sighed. 

“ Where do you want me to go? ” asked 
Don. “ The Island? ” 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 209 


“ Try that first. Father’s going to look in 
the village, and Keith about the barn. Poor 
Billy Boy! If you find him, Son, don’t be 
too hard on him. ’ ’ 

“ Right oh,” promised Don. “ Don’t 
worry, little Mother. He ’ll turn up all right. 
Maybe the scare will teach him a thing or 
two.” 

“ Remember. Be gentle, Chief,” she 
warned again. 

Don went down to the boathouse and un- 
locked his canoe, which the younger lads 
were not permitted to touch, and went pad- 
dling swiftly up the river to the Island. 
Through the twilight he could see a boat 
bearing down on him from a distance. 

“ Wonder if the young scamp is in that,” 
he mused, but it wasn’t long before he real- 
ized that no one was in it. The boat was 
absolutely empty. 

“ Jerry’s Water Lily ! ” he muttered, rec- 
ognizing the derelict. “ Now, what do you 
suppose that means? Just for a guess I’ll 
bet it means Sandy — Jerry’ll give him the 
dickens for using his boat — and my es- 


210 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


teemed brother Bill. But why an empty 
boat, and where are the kids? ” 

In spite of himself, Don could not help 
feeling somewhat worried. No one likes the 
look of a drifting passengerless boat, and 
Sandy and Billy, respectively Jerry’s small 
brother and his own, could always be trusted 
to get themselves into the most dangerous 
and awkward predicaments without half try- 
ing. It certainly did look queer. By this 
time he was coming in view of the Island, 
now almost merged in twilight duskiness. 

4 1 Ahoy, there ! ” he called. 

No answer. He paddled nearer and called 
again. Was it his imagination, or did some- 
thing stir among the bushes? 

“ Oh, say, are you there, Billy Boy, Billy Boy? 

Oh, say, are you there, charming Billy? ” 


he paraphrased musically, at the top of his 
lungs. 

Suddenly against the white of the birches 
two small figures were outlined. 

“ Don! Oh, Don!” And there was 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 211 


enough fright and misery in Billy’s voice to 
melt a harder heart than Don’s. 

44 All right, Sonny,” he called back cheer- 
fully. 44 Robin is safe at home in his nest 
if that is what is keeping you from your reg- 
ular meals.” 

With a swift stroke of the paddle he 
brought the canoe into the shallows and 
caught a stout elderberry bush with one hand 
to moor himself. 

44 Hello, Sandy, you worrying your mother 
into an early grave, too? ” he added. 

Abject and cowed, the two delinquents ap- 
proached. 

44 The Water Lily went off and left us 
while we were looking for — ’ ’ 

44 Robin? ” completed Don. 44 Why didn’t 
you swim the Hellespont, 0 brave Lean- 
ders? ” 

44 I can’t swim,” admitted Sandy deject- 
edly, 44 and I wouldn’t let Billy go and leave 
me all alone.” 

44 But you neither of you minded leaving 
an eight-year-old alone on the Island for the 
best part of the afternoon,” snapped Don. 


212 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Gee, but I’d like to pummel you both as 
you deserve! " wrathfully. 

“ Don, don't scold," begged Billy trem- 
ulously. “ If you only knew what I thought 
— I — I was afraid that Robin was 
drowned." 

“ No thanks to you he wasn't," inexora- 
bly. Then, remembering his promise to his 
mother, he caught himself up quickly. 
“ Never mind, Sonny. I guess you did get 
yours. Come on. Mother's worried about 
you, and so probably is Sandy's mother, 
though neither of you is worth worrying 
about in my opinion," he could not resist 
adding. 

Meekly — very meekly — the two crest- 
fallen small boys came down to the water 
edge. 

“ I'll have to dump you on shore, Sandy," 
said Don, 4 4 and let you hoof it from there. 
This canoe's no omnibus. Billy, you wait 
here until I come after you." 

“ There you are. Now scamper," ordered 
Don a few minutes later as he landed the 
subdued Sandy. “ Tell Jerry the Water 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 213 


Lily is floating somewhere down the river. 
He’ll be glad to know, I reckon,” rather 
ironically. 

The first part of the journey down the 
river was a silent one for Billy and Don. 
Poor Billy was too much overcome by the 
weight of his sins and Don’s stem disap- 
proval to dare to speak at first. But pres- 
ently he plucked up courage. 

“ Don, please, can’t I tell you how it hap- 
pened? ” 

His brother grunted, and, taking this for 
assent, Billy plunged ahead. 

“ We were playing pirates and Robin was 
our captive. He was a rich merchant who 
had treasure hidden on the Island. We made 
him reveal his stores, and just then we saw 
a merchantman on the high seas just coming 
in from India. We ran her down and — and 
— Jimmy Denny was getting up a scrub 
team and — ’ ’ 

“ You forgot all about Robin,” finished 
Don sternly. 

44 Well, we did. Honest, Don, I never 
thought of him again until after the game, 


214 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


and then we just ran and came over here in 
the boat and — oh, Don! It was just awful 
when we couldn’t find him. Did somebody 
see him? How did he get away? ” 

“ The Princess saw him and rescued him.” 
4 4 But Don, Elizabeth can’t row.” 

“ No, but she can ride, and she has grit 
enough to make you and Sandy look sick by 
comparison. She made Jet swim across and 
got Robin out of the water. ’ ’ 

“ The water! Don! Was he in the water? 
Then he was — he might have been drowned, 
and it was all my fault.” 

Billy’s head dropped into his hands and 
his shoulders shook. 

“ Fool ! ” thought Don. “ Why did I have 
to tell him that? Chump! After what 
Mother said, too, about going easy. Idiot! ” 
The paddle ceased abruptly. 

“Billy! Billy Boy! Don’t,” he implored. 
“ Robin’s safe and you are safe and it’s all 
right. Oh, hang it, Billy, I didn’t mean to 
make you feel like that. I — I’m awfully 
sorry. I’m a beast. Pretty Chief I am! ” 
Billy looked up considerably overcome at 


THE SURE ’NOUGH HEROINE 215 


his rather assured brother’s unexpected self 
abasement. 

“ It isn’t your telling me I mind,” he 
stammered. “ It’s because it’s so. Don, 
you don’t know how I f-feel about it,” he 
wailed. 

“ Don’t I? ” grimly. “ Do you think I 
have forgotten how I felt when I let Bobby 
fall in the Gym? I was a good deal worse 
than you, for you just forgot, and I delib- 
erately let my temper go.” 

“ But Robin wasn’t much hurt in the 
Gym,” dolefully. 

“ Neither was he much drowned,” grinned 
Don. “ Cheer up, Billy. Here we are.” 

“ I don’t see how I’ll ever, ever face 
Mother,” groaned Billy. 

“ Mother’ll understand. She always 
does,” comforted Don. 

And, of course, Mother did. That is the 
beauty of mothers. They do understand. 
Moreover, at the intercession of the Chief, 
it was decided that Billy had been suffi- 
ciently punished for his piratical escapade. 

As for the Princess, the Clan was more 


216 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


loyal and devoted to her than ever; and for 
Mrs. Wallace’s grateful kiss, and the knowl- 
edge that Don was proud of her, Elizabeth 
would have gone through more than a river. 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE QUITTER 

“ I say, Cecilia, come and see ‘ The Scar- 
let Princess ’ with me to-night. IPs a cork- 
ing show, and youVe been cooped up in this 
stuffy hotel nearly a week.” 

Thus Rupert besieged his cousin. But she 
shook her head regretfully. 

“ No, Rupert, I can’t. Don’t you see I 
am not here for my own pleasure, but be- 
cause Mrs. Page needs me? The operation 
was ever so successful, and she is getting 
along beautifully, but she does need me to 
read to her and do little things. I couldn’t 
leave her a whole evening.” 

Rupert frowmed. 

“ Strikes me you were engaged to teach 
the Princess and not to fuss over a cranky 
invalid. It is an imposition, and you know 
it.” 


217 


218 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Rupert, do hush. They have been per- 
fectly lovely to me, and I am only too glad 
to make any little return I can for all their 
kindness.” 

“ Little!” he sniffed. “ But don’t you 
owe a perfectly good cousin, in regular 
standing, anything, I’d like to know? It’s 
you everlastingly good people — girls who 
nurse your own consciences so tenderly — 
that send men straight to the devil.” 

‘ ‘ Rupert ! What are you talking about ? 
I hope there is no danger of your going to 
— the personage you mention.” 

“ But I tell you there is A girl has no 
idea of a man’s temptations, as I told you 
once before. Besides, there is a special rea- 
son why I need you to-night.” 

“ What? ” anxiously. If there was any- 
thing ludicrous in the swagger of twenty 
about “ man’s temptations,” Cecilia was too 
young to see it, and took her cousin quite as 
seriously as he took himself. 

“ I have a pressing invitation from his 
Satanic Majesty, if you want to know. I’d 
like to plead a previous engagement,” he 


THE QUITTER 


219 


added whimsically, but with an undercurrent 
of earnestness which alarmed Cecilia. 

“ Rupert Wallace, do you have to be 
bribed into behaving yourself ? ” she de- 
manded. 

6i Yes,” said Rupert, sulkily, “ I do, if 
you choose to put it that way. It’s either 
that you go with me or I go — elsewhere. ’ ’ 

“ Rupert, you haven’t any right to 
threaten me like that. You know I would 
give anything to go to the theatre with you, 
but I can’t, and that is the end of it. And 
you can’t get into mischief either, because 
you are on the crew. You said so, your- 
self.” 

“ A fellow can’t behave like a saint for- 
ever.” 

“ Nobody wants you to be a saint. If you 
will be a man I shall be quite satisfied,” a 
little shortly. Then, her tone changing, 
“ Stay to dinner with us, Rupert, and forget 
all this horrid nonsense you have been talk- 
ing.” 

“ And be left in the hands of the kid while 
you wait on the old lady! No thanks. I’ve 


220 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


tried that, and it is no good. I tell you I 
have to have a spree to-night or bust. If 
youTl come with me it will be a perfectly 
proper and respectable spree, if you 
won’t — ” he completed the alternative with 
a sufficiently vivid and explanatory gesture. 

“ Don’t,” begged Cecilia earnestly. 
“ You’ll be sorry, Rupert.” 

“ Then come.” 

“ I can’t.” 

“ Very well. I’ll take the other bid then.” 
And without any formality of farewell he 
strode out of the room, leaving Cecilia per- 
plexed and angry and troubled. Poor Ce- 
cilia! She was quite young enough to long 
for a bit of a spree on her own count, and 
she knew she would have enjoyed this one 
heartily, for no one could be a more charm- 
ing companion than her cousin Rupert when 
he was having his own way. But it was not 
her own disappointment that was hardest to 
bear. What did his threat mean? Was some 
temptation really assailing him from which 
she alone could have saved him? Ought she 
to have yielded for his sake? It was a com- 


THE QUITTER 


221 


plex question, a tangle of conflicting duties 
which seemed unravellable to the girl. Ru- 
pert had no right to put her in such a posi- 
tion. It wasn’t fair or manly of him. Yet 
all that evening as she read aloud to the 
invalid she yearned woman-fashion over the 
absent scapegrace and tormented herself 
with imagining him in all sorts of dreadful 
predicaments. 

As it happened, however, Rupert had by 
no means invented the “ pressing invita- 
tion ” for the evening. His roommate, 
“ Jake ” Corey, a debonair, scatter-brained, 
happy-go-lucky Sophomore with unlimited 
means and a decided penchant for chorus 
girls, had been besieging him for days to 
join a theatre-party, followed by a supper 
at which some of the fairest of “ The Scarlet 
Princess ” retinue were to be the more or 
less honored guests. Rupert had held off, 
knowing from previous experience that J ake ’s 
parties were usually more or less disastrous 
festivities. To-night, however, he was rest- 
less, bored and sulky, and gave in to the 
extent of joining the box-party, though still 


222 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


refusing the supper invitation. But later, 
when a pair of challenging pansy eyes smiled 
alluringly into his, Rupert flung his last ves- 
tige of caution to the winds, forgot training 
and everything else he was bound to remem- 
ber, and flung himself with characteristic 
abandon into the “ spree.’ ’ 

The festivities being congenial prolonged 
themselves rather unduly, and when the la- 
dies were finally deposited at their hotel, the 
gentlemen had another round or two of 
drinks for good measure, and, finally, when 
the two young men reached their college 
rooms they were rather the worse for wear. 
Indeed it took some rather querulous argu- 
ment on Rupert’s part to convince Jake that 
full evening dress was not the recognized 
regalia for slumber, and neither noticed that 
Rupert inadvertently set his cuffs instead of 
his boots outside the door for the boy to 
clean. 

“ I say,” murmured Jake drowsily, as the 
clock struck three, “ I say, Rupe, are you 
drunk too? ” 

“ No,” shortly from Rupert. 


THE QUITTER 


223 


4 4 What a head you have ! ’ ’ muttered his 
roommate admiringly. 44 What a head! ” 

And when Rupert awoke some hours later 
in full sunshine he might have echoed the 
exclamation with somewhat different emo- 
tions. What a head, indeed ! A head which 
ached and throbbed almost unendurably, but 
which was pitilessly clear enough to remind 
its owner that he had made a fool of him- 
self. 

Somebody else beside Rupert resented Ce- 
cilia’s absorption in her duties to Mrs. Page. 
Elizabeth was finding hotel life sadly dull 
after the emancipated condition of her last 
month in the country. She missed Don ter- 
ribly, and even Miss Cecilia was being torn 
more and more from her every day. Alto- 
gether it was a rather bored and aggrieved 
little Princess who started out for a walk in 
the park. But its trim gardens looked dull 
and uninteresting to her after the whole 
great woods, and she followed the winding 
path which led along by the river out of the 
city. Suddenly a turn of the path revealed 
a wooded slope, on which Elizabeth beheld, 


224 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


with a little start of dismay and a tight feel- 
ing in her throat, a man’s prostrate figure. 
She was about to turn hurriedly back when 
something in the tumbled mop of brown hair 
struck her with a sense of familiarity and 
she paused still poised for flight. Suddenly 
she darted across the path with a little ex- 
clamation of wonder and relief. 

“ Rupert . 9 ’ 

The prone figure flashed erect. 

“ The Princess! What in the name of 
common sense are you doing here? ” he de- 
manded. 

“ Oh, I got tired of things and came 
away,” said the Princess as nonchalantly as 
she could, to cover the rather violent palpi- 
tation of her heart, which had not yet recov- 
ered its normal beat. 

“ Ditto,” he responded somewhat dryly. 

Straightway she forgot herself in reali- 
zing that this was not the gay, careless Ru- 
pert she knew, but a very different individual 
with flushed cheeks, heavy eyes and a general 
air of haggard misery which went to her 
heart. Somehow he seemed less grown up 


THE QUITTER 


225 


and remote than usual, just a big, unhappy 
hoy whom she longed to help if she could. 

44 Rupert, could you tell me what the 
trouble is? ” she questioned timidly. 

He shot a keen glance in her direction. 

44 Trouble! ” he ejaculated. 4 4 Do I look 
it? ” 

44 You do,” bravely. 44 Can’t I help, Ru- 
pert? ” 

44 No.” 

4 4 When Don is in trouble he tells me some- 
times, and he says it helps. Couldn’t you? ” 

44 It’s only that I’m put off the crew,” he 
blurted out, following a sudden impulse to 
voice his wretchedness. 

44 Oh! ” gasped Elizabeth. She had 
learned from Don to know a little of what 
such a catastrophe meant. 44 Oh, Rupert, 
why? ” 

44 Because I broke training and went on 
an 4 animated bust.’ ” 

It was a relief to hurl the miserable facts 
at some one, even if it were only a small 
Princess who couldn’t he expected to under- 
stand. 


226 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ But, Rupert, if it is only just once, 
wouldn’t they take you back if they know you 
are sorry and won’t do it again? ” 

He smiled grimly. 

“ But I haven’t said I am sorry, and I 
don’t intend to, moreover. I told Dennison 
about half an hour ago that he and his crew 
could go plum to thunder for all I cared.” 

“ But — ” began Elizabeth impulsively. 

“ But what? ” 

“ That isn’t true. You do care.” 

‘ ‘ Of course I care. I care like the very — 
that is — I care.” 

“ Do you row well? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Is there any one to take your place who 
can row as well? ” 

“ No,” candidly. 

“ Then your dropping out may make 
Marston lose the race? ” 

“ Possibly,” admitted Rupert, between his 
teeth. 

‘ 1 Then I think you are a quitter, Rupert 
Wallace,” flashed the Princess. 

Rupert flushed, half angry, half ashamed. 


THE QUITTER 


227 


It was true, but it was not easy to have it 
thrown in his face by a slip of a girl. 

4 4 I didn ’t put myself off the crew, did I ? ’ ’ 
he retorted sharply. 

“ No, but you didn’t try to stay on. If 
you really cared you’d be willing to eat a 
little humble pie.” 

She warmed to her subject, and half for- 
got that it wasn’t Don she was lecturing. 

“ Oh, come now, Princess, you don’t know 
what you are talking about. I can’t go whi- 
ning to Dennison like a licked cur.” 

“ Then you don’t really care,” inexor- 
ably. 

“ Much you know about it,” he groaned. 
“ I care. Great Scott! Nobody knows how 
I care! ” And the boy’s head went down 
into his hands with a gesture of despair 
which cut Elizabeth to the heart. 

But she kept on heroically. 

“ Please, Rupert, then won’t you go to 
the captain and try to get back? Don will 
be so disappointed if you don’t.” 

She did not know what a poisoned arrow 
that was. It was bad enough to know him- 


228 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


self a 44 quitter,” but to have Don and the 
rest know was almost unthinkable. 

44 Please, Rupert,” persisted the Princess 
softly. 

He looked up. 

44 I can’t, Princess. Honest, I can’t. Den- 
nison wouldn’t take me back. He had a per- 
fect right to fire me. I am only just getting 
what is coming to me, that’s all. Don’t 
worry about me. I’m not worth it. See 
here, young lady, I ought to have sent you 
home long ago. Cecilia will be worrying. 
For goodness’ sake, don’t you make things 
hard for her,” miserably. 

44 Oh, she knew I was going for a walk in 
the park,” explained Elizabeth. 

44 This is rather an extended version of 
the park. Listen to me, Princess. Promise, 
’cross your heart, not to come out this way 
alone again.” 

44 All right,” a little absently, for she was 
already revolving a plan in her busy brain 
— a wonderful plan. 

44 See that you remember that. Now then, 
we are not very far from the car line. I’ll 


THE QUITTER 


229 


put you on a car and you are to fly home to 
Cecilia as fast as possible. By the way, you 
can tell her you saw me, of course, but you 
needn’t enlarge on the details of the conver- 
sation. See? ” 

She nodded assent. It might complicate 
her plan somewhat not to be able to take 
Cecilia into her confidence, but she would 
manage somehow or other. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 

‘ ‘ Don’t scold, Miss Cecilia, dearest. I 
know it wasn’t nice of me to go so far, but 
it was quite all right, as I found Rupert and 
he made me promise I wouldn ’t do it again. ’ ’ 

“ I should think so. I wonder what Ru- 
pert was doing. He must have been cutting 
classes again. Oh, dear, I am afraid he is 
incorrigible,” she sighed. “ Was he gay or 
sulky or blue? ” anxiously. 

“ Blue,” said Elizabeth. “ Miss Cecilia, 
don’t ask me any questions about Rupert, 
please, but listen. I want to go somewhere, 
this afternoon, all by myself, and I can’t tell 
you about it now, but truly, truly, it is a 
perfectly good thing to do, so please I may 
go, mayn’t I? ” Her coaxing arms were 
around her friend ’s neck and her brown eyes 
pleaded eloquently. 


230 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


231 


“ But, Princess/ * objected Cecilia, “ don’t 
yon see that I cannot let you go without 
knowing more about this mysterious er- 
rand? ” 

The Princess’ hands fell. 

“ Oh, dear,” petulantly. “ I shall just 
wish I’d run away, without asking at all. 
Please, Miss Cecilia, don’t say I can’t. It 
— it’s for Bupert.” 

“ For Rupert ! Did he ask you to do some- 
thing for him? ” 

“ No, of course he didn’t. Rupert 
wouldn’t ask help from a girl any more than 
Don would. He doesn’t know what I want 
to do, but it is for him, all the same.” 

“ But, Elizabeth, can’t you tell me more 
about it? ” gravely. 

“ No, I can’t,” wailed the Princess, almost 
in tears. “ I can’t tell, and I must go.” 

“ Could I go with you? ” 

Elizabeth shook her head decisively. Well 
she knew that her mission was only for little 
girl Princesses, not for pretty young ladies. 

“ No, Miss Cecilia. It is just I, all alone 
by myself, that have to go.” 


232 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ I am sorry then, Princess, for I cannot 
say yes to that. It would be very wrong of 
me. Your aunt would have a right to blame 
me very much if I did. Now I must go to 
her. I’ll be back just as soon as I can. Per- 
haps when I come back you will have decided 
that you can tell me more, and then perhaps 
we can think of a way together to help Ru- 
pert, if that is what you are trying to do.” 
She stooped and kissed the unresponding 
lips of the Princess and went to Mrs. Page 
with a troubled heart. What scrape was 
Rupert in now, and what wild scheme was 
the Princess cogitating? 

Left alone, Elizabeth stood a moment 
without stirring from the spot where Miss 
Cecilia had left her. She felt, all of a sud- 
den, turned to stone. Then she threw out 
her hands in a little gesture of despairing 
determination. 

“ I’ve got to go. I’ve got to go, whether 
I may or not. It is for Rupert and — Don. 
I can’t have Don be disappointed. I’ve got 
to go. It is perfectly dreadful to disobey 
Miss Cecilia, but I just have to go.” 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


233 


With fingers that trembled somewhat she 
put on her hat, a coat and gloves, crept softly 
out of the room and fled down the stairs, not 
daring to wait for the elevator. Twenty 
minutes later, outwardly composed, but with 
furiously beating heart, she descended from 
the street car in front of the massive gate 
which opened into the green campus of Mars- 
ton College. Various curious and friendly 
eyes followed her as she pursued her dig- 
nified way across the campus, looking neither 
to left nor right. 

“ I’ll have to ask somebody where he 
lives,” she reflected. “ That red-haired one 
looks nice. I’ll ask him.” Accordingly the 
“ red-haired one ” was accosted by a grave 
little voice, inquiring where Captain Denni- 
son of the crew lived. 

“ Thirty-six Seymour,” responded the 
youth promptly, courteously pulling his rosy 
forelock in lieu of a cap. “ May I escort you 
there? ” 

6 4 If it isn’t too much trouble,” the Prin- 
cess assented graciously. 

“ Gee, but she’s a lady of quality,” mused 


234 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


her companion. “ Wonder if she’s Denny’s 
kid sister, and what in time is she doing here 
alone! Somebody to see you, Cap,” he 
added presently, having escorted the Prin- 
cess to the door of number thirty-six, which 
had flown open at his vigorous knock. 

“ To see me!” inquired the tall, thin, 
grey-eyed young man who appeared on the 
threshold, gazing at Elizabeth with blank 
though polite amazement. “ Are you sure 
there is no mistake! I am Dennison — Nat 
Dennison. ’ ’ 

“ Captain Dennison! ” asked Elizabeth, 
wondering if they could hear her heart heat 
as plainly as she could. 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then there isn’t any mistake. I do want 
to see you, please,” with all the courage she 
could muster, which at the present moment 
it must he confessed was not an amount to 
boast of. 

“ That is luck for me,” he responded 
pleasantly. “ Won’t you come in! ” And 
the door closed on the curious eyes of the 
“ red-haired one,” after he had been pret- 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


235 


tily thanked by the Princess for his kindly 
services. As Elizabeth accepted a seat in 
the rather bare little room she was somewhat 
uncomfortably aware of the frankly inter- 
ested stare of a third person in the room, 
a short, stout, moon-faced youth with a fla- 
ming tie and aggressive hued hose. Eliza- 
beth liked neither his looks nor his stare, 
and deliberately addressed herself to her 
host, who stood waiting in courteous atten- 
tion. 

“ May I speak to you alone? ” Her dra- 
matic sense was coming to the rescue of the 
situation, and she was again almost mistress 
of herself and almost persuaded that the 
whole adventure was rather good fun for a 
bored Princess. 

“ Certainly. Vamoose, Corey,” ordered 
the tall captain. 

Elizabeth’s eyes flew back with suddenly 
awakened interest to the reluctantly rising 
moon-faced youth. She remembered that 
Corey was the name of Rupert’s roommate. 

“ Just a minute, Denny, with the permis- 
sion of the lady. Is there nothing I can say 


t 

236 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 

or do to get Wallace back on the crew! It 
was my fault, as I told yon. You know I 
always do my thinking the day after. I am 
confoundedly sorry about Rupe, ’pon honor 
I am.” And he ran his fingers through his 
absurdly blond hair, a process which made 
him look more grotesque than ever, but some- 
how made Elizabeth’s heart warm to him, 
his regret was so evidently sincere. 

“ So am I,” said the captain grimly. 
“ You don’t suppose I like to fire the best 
man on the crew, a week before the race, do 
you! We are more than likely to lose Sat- 
urday without Wallace.” 

1 ‘ Try him again, then, ’ ’ begged Corey. 

“ How can I! ” snapped the other. “ He 
consigned me to warm regions when I 
pitched into him and intimated that he in- 
tended to do as he jolly well liked, without 
any interference from me.” 

“ Of course he did. Rupe’s like that,” ad- 
miringly. “ His Scotch was up. You went 
at him wrong way round. ’ ’ 

“ I can’t handle a crew with kid gloves. 
We have to have discipline. I can’t have my 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


237 


crew tearing around the city at all hours of 
the night, either. If you like that sort of 
thing you can do it, but Rupe Wallace can’t, 
not so long as he rows on my crew.” And 
the tall captain’s lips came together with a 
firmness that boded little mercy for offend- 
ers. 

“ But Rupe isn’t a fool like me,” pro- 
tested Corey. “ It is the first time he has 
kicked over the traces the whole spring, and 
you know it.” 

i ‘ I know,” admitted the captain with a 
troubled frown. “ Between you and me, I 
didn’t mean to fire him, but he was so con- 
founded insolent and showed so plainly that 
he didn’t care whether Marston won or 
lost — ” 

“ But he does care,” interrupted Eliza- 
beth, unable to keep out of the conversation 
another moment. 

Dennison wheeled about in astonishment. 

“ What do you know about it? ” he de- 
manded. 

“ A whole lot, because Rupert told me 
himself, and he does care. He cares like the 


238 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


— Oh, dear, I don ’t mean he said that. He 
couldn’t, you know, because I was there, but 
he meant it all the same, ’ ’ with convic- 
tion. 

44 Oh, he did? ” remarked the captain per- 
plexedly, but evidently faintly amused, too. 
4 4 May I ask who you are? ” 

44 Elizabeth Page,” as simply as if every- 
body in the world must know who Elizabeth 
Page was. As it happened indeed, one of 
her auditors did know. 

44 The Princess, by all the gods! ” ex- 
claimed Jake Corey with enthusiasm. 44 I 
say, Denny, this lady is a heroine of the 
eighteen-karat variety. She swam the Esk 
Eiver — I mean the Connecticut — where 
ford there was none, and rescued Rupe’s 
small brother from a watery grave. Miss 
Princess, I am overcome with pleasure in 
meeting you. I assure you I admire you 
most extraordinarily,” with a profound 
bow. 

44 Perhaps Miss Page is more interested 
in other things than in your extraordinary 
admiration,” interrupted Dennison dryly. 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


239 


4 4 See here, Miss Elizabeth Page, do you 
mind telling me if your visit has anything 
to do with Rupert Wallace? ” 

44 It has everything to do with him, but 
you mustn’t think he sent me. He would 
hate the idea. I came of my own accord to 
ask if you wouldn’t please take him hack on 
the crew. He is awfully sorry, and I know 
he won’t do it again.” 

44 Hear, oh, hear! ” cried Corey delight- 
edly. 44 Haven’t I been telling you that 
Rupe simply had a nightmare because I of- 
fered him — er — deviled lobsters. ’ ’ 

44 Shut up,” shortly from the captain. 
Then to the Princess, 44 If Rupert is sorry 
and wants to come back, why didn’t he say 
so like a man? ” 

44 Would you in his place? ” flashed the 
Princess. 

The captain reflected. Nobody knew bet- 
ter than himself that he had 44 rubbed it in ” 
rather hard for a first offence, in his pertur- 
bation, disgust and anxiety. 

44 Perhaps not,” he admitted. 44 Probably 
not unless I were urged,” honestly. 


240 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


u Do you need him on the crew? ” probed 
Elizabeth, seeing her advantage and primed 
with facts. 

The captain nodded vigorously. 

“ Then won’t you please give him another 
chance? ” she pleaded earnestly. 

“ I’ll talk to him,” evaded Dennison, but 
Elizabeth knew that her point was won. 

“ Oh, thank you,” with shining eyes. 
“ That will be perfectly splendid of you if 
you will. I know Rupert will be different 
this time. I — I think he had a headache, 
this morning. Perhaps that was what made 
him so cross.” 

“ Very likely,” admitted the captain with 
a queer little twist to his lips. 

“ But, please,” she continued eagerly, 
“ don’t tell him I had anything to do with 
it. He’d never, never forgive me.” 

“ Not even a princess? ” smiled the cap 1 - 
tain. “ Very well. It shall remain a glori- 
ous secret that royalty crossed my humble 
threshold. Eh, Corey? ” 

“ I swear eternal silence,” seconded 
Corey dramatically. “ I say, Miss Princess, 


THE PRINCESS VENTURES 


241 


you certainly are a corker and no mistake. 
Excuse me a moment. Denny, don’t let her 
escape until I have secured the wherewithal 
to make this ceremony legal.’ ’ 

As the door closed upon him Elizabeth 
looked up at the big, solemn, kind-eyed cap- 
tain. 

“ You have been very good to me,” she 
told him gratefully. 

He shook his head. 

“ I suspect the favor is quite the other 
way around,” he answered, “ that not only 
Wallace and I but Marston have something 
to thank your Majesty for.” 

Elizabeth sighed happily. 

“ I just know we are going to win,” she 
observed with a magnificent identification of 
herself with Marston. 

Whereupon Corey returned with grape 
juice and various delicious looking 4 4 sweet- 
ies.” 

“ It isn’t every day we have royalty with 
us, on secret diplomatic mission. It is an 
occasion, and I insist on celebrating it. 
Denny, where are your glasses, and is an 


242 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ash tray the most fitting receptacle you have 
to offer for these viands! ” 

The captain obligingly did his best to ful- 
fill the demands of the occasion, and Eliza- 
beth decided she was having a perfectly 
“ gorgeous ” time. She loved pomp and 
ceremony, especially when she was, herself, 
the centre of it all. By this time she had 
quite made up her mind that Corey was really 
very nice in spite of his unprepossessing ap- 
pearance. She could not help liking him for 
his evident devotion to Rupert if for no other 
cause. As for the captain, with the stern 
mouth and pleasant eyes, he was thoroughly 
adorable. 

The little ceremony of “ cakes and ale,” 
as Corey called it, was in full swing, and the 
three conspirators toasting each other and 
Marston and the crew in splendid terms, 
when a sharp knock sounded on the door and 
suddenly Rupert Wallace appeared on the 
threshold. 



Cl 




■A. V - i ^ X " 


ELIZABETH DECIDED SHE WAS HAVING A PERFECTLY 
‘ GORGEOUS * TIME ” 





























































0 




































































. 

















































































CHAPTER XIX 


THE PKODIGALS 

Elizabeth jumped up guiltily. Seeing Ru- 
pert brought to mind the other side of her 
adventure. She had been having such a 
glorious time that she had almost forgotten 
the destined hour of reckoning until Rupert’s 
presence reminded her. And would he ever 
forgive her for her interference? She felt 
very small and scared and little-girlish all 
of a sudden — no longer the feted and dis- 
tinguished Princess. Rupert stood staring 
rather sternly at her, and somehow she could 
not find a word to say. Dennison also 
seemed to be temporarily stricken dumb, and 
it was the cheerful and heedless Corey who 
came to the rescue of the rather strained sit- 
uation. 

“ This is great, Rupe,” he exclaimed 
heartily. “ Awfully glad you happened in. 

243 


244 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


We were just drinking to Marston and the 
winning crew. Will yon join us! ” 

But Rupert ignored the invitation. 

“ Pardon the interruption, Dennison,” he 
remarked stiffly. “ I’ll come some other 
time when you are at leisure. Elizabeth, 
does Cecilia know you are here! ” 

Elizabeth shook her head dejectedly, and 
her lip trembled ever so little. She was only 
a Cinderella after midnight. The spell was 
lifted. 

“ Permit me to explain what must look 
like rather an odd assemblage,” broke in 
Dennison. “ This young lady did me the 
honor to call and make clear that I had been 
guilty of a blunder. I am not too proud to 
acknowledge it now that I see it. Rupe,” 
suddenly dropping the formal tone, “ will 
you come back! We need you.” 

Rupert was silent a moment in some em- 
barrassment. He had fought a hard fight 
with his pride and forced himself to come 
like a ‘ 4 licked cur ’ 9 and ask to be reinstated 
on the crew. And here was all his decent 
humility set aside, even forestalled by the 


THE PRODIGALS 


245 


captain’s generous offer. It was disconcert- 
ing, to say the least, especially if, as ap- 
peared, he owed Dennison’s change of base 
to the very meek, miserable and guilty look- 
ing little maid in the corner. 

“ Denny,” he said a little huskily, i 6 it’s 
not up to you to apologize for this morning. 
You had a perfect right to say all you did, 
and more too. But if you will take me back, 
I’ll come and — you can count on me this 
time. ’ ’ 

“ Sure,” said Dennison quietly. “ I know 
that, Rupe. Shake on it.” 

And the hearty handshake was a compact 
accepted as such by both the lads. 

“ Where do I come in? ” inquired Corey, 
in an aggrieved tone. “ Here I supposed 
I was on a delicate diplomatic mission, and 
no one permits me to diplome in the least.” 

“ Naturally not,” grinned the captain. 
“ Heaven knows where you do shine, Jaky, 
but it certainly isn’t in this line. The only 
real diplomat in the crowd is her Majesty, 
the reigning Princess, who has done us all 
a right good turn.” 


246 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Rupert shot a sharp glance at Elizabeth. 
He was divided between his desire to shake 
her for her impertinent interference in his 
affairs and to express his gratitude for the 
results of that unseemly interference. Cer- 
tainly he couldn ’t properly condone her 
presence in a college room, unchaperoned, in 
the society of three young men, two of them 
practically strangers. 

4 4 It is not exactly the place to find — the 
reigning Princess,’ ’ he said rather gravely. 
“ Elizabeth, if you will make your adieus 
to these gentlemen, I’ll take you home.” 

Somewhat sober and abashed Elizabeth 
obeyed, and even the gallant speeches of her 
hosts did not cheer her drooping spirits 
much. She was almost relieved to get out 
of doors with Rupert, even if he was cross 
with her. 

“ See here, Princess,” he burst out at 
length. “ How bad is your case? Did you 
run away? ” 

Elizabeth nodded assent. 

“ Did Cecilia know where you were and 
why? ” he probed further. 


THE PRODIGALS 


247 


“ I couldn’t tell her, could I? You told 
me not to,” retorted the Princess. 

“ Oh! ” Rupert frowned a little at that. 
“ And you knew she wouldn’t give you per- 
mission to come on a wild goose chase like 
this that you couldn’t explain, so you came 
without asking. Was that it? ” 

“ I did ask,” admitted Elizabeth in a wee 
little voice. 

“ The dickens you did! Do you mean to 
say you just plain disobeyed and got your- 
self into this mess just to help me out of 
mine? ” 

“ Yes,” meekly. 

“ Upon my word, you are a corker! ” he 
ejaculated. “ See here, Princess, I have a 
good deal to thank you for, which rather 
prevents my lecturing you as you deserve. 
All the same I don’t like it. It was all wrong, 
and you shouldn’t have done it. Under- 
stand? ” 

“ Yes,” reiterated Elizabeth, still meekly. 

“ Nevertheless,” he went on, “ it comes 
back to me in the long run, and I’ll take the 
brunt of the tiling with Cecilia. I guess be- 


248 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


tween us we can make her understand that 
you thought it was your duty to help me 
out.” 

“ Oh, Eupert, if we only can,” she sighed. 
“ I never, never disobeyed Miss Cecilia be- 
fore, and I didn’t feel very good about it. I 
feel just awful this minute,” she added de- 
jectedly. 

“ Eeckon you do,” agreed Eupert. 
a There are some things I don’t feel very 
good about myself. Evidently we’ve both 
got to make a clean breast of it. "We’ll go 
in to the drugstore and telephone Cecilia 
that the prodigals are returning on the next 
car. ’ ’ 

Thanks to various causes, all of which did 
not appear on the surface, the race on Sat- 
urday was a glorious victory for Marston. 
The best of it all, in Elizabeth’s opinion, was 
the fact that Don was there beside her. The 
only cloud in the blue was the fact that he 
had to go back to Eiverside that night. 

“ I don’t see why you don’t stay over 
Sunday,” she objected, as she and Don 


THE PRODIGALS 


249 


strolled stationward with Cecilia and Rupert 
in the dim distance behind them. 

“ Would if I could/ ’ said Don. “ Rupe 
wanted me to, and I did ask Dad, but he 
wouldn’t let me cut school Monday. I say, 
Princess, did I tell you that Rod Stevens is 
back? ” 

“ Good! Didn’t he hate to awfully 
though? ” 

“ Rather guess he did, though the fellows 
have all been splendid.” 

‘ ‘ Don! That was your doing.” 

“ Not entirely. I pulled a few wires, 
that’s all. Wonder where the rear guard 
is,” he changed the subject, looking back for 
his cousin and Rupert. “ They seem to be 
taking their time. Oh, well, I didn’t flatter 
myself it was mere brotherly love that 
brought Rupe down to see me off. He and 
Cis row tremendously, but I notice they 
do not abhor each other’s society for all 
that.” 

“ Of course not, stupid. It is ever so dull 
to be everlastingly agreeing with people. 
Don’t you know it is? ” 


250 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Never had much chance to experience 
the process. Yon usually keep me humping 
along the other line, and Keith and I are 
perpetually scrapping. He is queerer than 
ever lately, and rubs me the wrong way 
worse than ever. Then I get mad because 
Mother seems to side with him and is always 
harder on me. I suppose she knows I am a 
better scrapper. We had an awful row yes- 
terday. I came mighty near not being al- 
lowed to come down here just on that ac- 
count. Luckily I saw the bolt coming and 
dodged. ’ ’ 

“ Dodged! Don, what do you mean? ” 

“ Metaphorically, of course,” laughed 
Don. “ I hauled in my horns and got off 
with a lecture. But it is bound to happen 
again/ Keith and I just naturally don’t jibe. 
The funny part of it is — ” 

“ What? ” questioned Elizabeth as he 
broke off abruptly. 

“ It sounds foolish, but just lately it seems 
as if Keith were somehow jealous of Mother 
and me. I can ’t make him out. He is queer 
and different lately. I suppose he can ’t help 


THE PRODIGALS 


251 


it, and I ought to make allowances, as Mother 
says, but I always forget when the time 
comes. ’ ’ 

‘ 4 Don, do you know I am sure I was right 
about Uncle Daniel’s wanting to adopt 
Keith? I don’t believe your mother was 
willing though.” 

i ‘ Very likely not,” he agreed a little 
guardedly. Even to Elizabeth he thought he 
had no right to repeat the conversation he 
had inadvertently heard, though he had been 
by no means able to forget it. “ Here we are 
at the station. Look at those slowpokes. 
It is very evident how much they love me,” 
he grinned. 

Five minutes later he was standing on the 
rear platform of the train receiving last mes- 
sages for the home people and exclaiming 
once more over the satisfactory outcome of 
the race. 

“ Good-by,” he called back as the train 
started. “ ’Twas great, Chief. Awfully 
proud of you. Tell ’em all about it.” 

There was an odd little twist to Rupert’s 
lips as he turned away. He could not help 


252 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


being glad that Don didn’t know bow nar- 
rowly be bad escaped being tbe reverse of 
proud. 

“ You are a trump, Princess,” be blurted 
out involuntarily. 

Sbe looked up in some surprise. 

“ Why? ” 

u Evidently you can keep a secret.” 

“ Of course I can keep a secret. You 
don’t suppose I would tell Don, of all peo- 
ple! I couldn’t bear to.” 

Rupert, sensitive to condemnation just 
then, bad the grace to read between tbe lines 
and understand tbe unfavorable comparison 
in tbe mind of tbe Princess- between himself 
and her hero, who happened to be bis 
younger brother. He turned to bis cousin 
with a rather wry smile. 

“ Lucky we are not all advertised by our 
loving friends,” be remarked. “ Even you, 
I notice, charitably spare me a full expres- 
sion of your opinion of me,” be half teased. 

* 1 I have a better opinion of you at present 
than I have bad for some time,” she retorted. 

“ Ob, you prodigal, in short! ” be jested. 


THE PRODIGALS 


253 


“ Miss Cecilia is very nice about forgiv- 
ing,” announced Elizabeth, from the wisdom 
of recent experience. 

Rupert laughed at the complacent tone. 

“ Oh, ho, Miss Fellow Prodigal, so you’ve 
found that out, too. I advise you not to put 
it to the test too often, however. You can’t 
do the prodigal stunt every day, you know.” 

“I’m never going to do it at all again, 
and you had better not either, Rupert Wal- 
lace.” 

“ Hear!, Oh, hear! ” said Cecilia. 


CHAPTER XX 


THE SHADOW 

Don swung along the home street under 
the starlight, a healthy, happy hoy without 
a care in the world and with the pleasant 
consciousness of dear people at home eagerly 
waiting to welcome him and hear all about 
his holiday, which is the joy of glad home- 
comings. Nobody seemed to be looking for 
him however, and a curious heavy silence 
pervaded the parsonage, which somehow 
checked his signal whistle and unaccountably 
rebuked his bubbling spirits. Where was 
everybody anyhow? A door opened and shut 
up-stairs and Don saw with quick apprehen- 
sion that it was Dr. Carey, their near neigh- 
bor and family physician, who was coming 
down the stairs., 


254 


THE SHADOW 


255 


“ Hello, Don.” The doctor’s voice was 
cheery, but with a deeper undercurrent, the 
boy fancied. 

“ Anybody sick? ” demanded Don quickly. 
“ Not — not Mother ? ” 

‘ ‘ No — Keith. He has rather mysteri- 
ously developed a case of brain fever.” 

“ Is he — very sick? ” 

“ Yes, Don, I can’t deny that he is — very 
sick. ’ ’ 

“ But, Dr. Carey, I don’t understand. He 
was all right yesterday, ’ 5 a sudden twinge of 
remorse reminding him that it was only yes- 
terday he had quarrelled with Keith. Yes- 
terday ! How incredibly long ago it seemed. 
And now Keith was ill — very ill. 

The doctor shook his head. 

“ Your mother thinks he has not been him- 
self for some time, and it is more than likely 
the thing has been developing slowly up to 
this crisis. He complained of a violent head- 
ache last night, and by midnight he was in 
a high fever, and has been delirious practi- 
cally ever since.” 

“ Mother didn’t tell me,” protested Don, 


256 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


troubled at the notion of bis own gay, heed- 
less departure of the morning, not dreaming 
what the night had brought. “ I didn’t 
know,” he half apologized. 

“ No. Your mother didn’t want to spoil 
your holiday.” 

‘ ‘ Oh, ’ ’ said the boy soberly. 6 6 Dr. Carey, 
I thought brain fever was brought on by 
some shock.” 

He couldn’t help recurring guiltily to yes- 
terday ’s hot battle of words. Surely it 
couldn’t be that — not that! 

“ By some shock or long brooding over 
some trouble, real or fancied. None of us 
can trace such a cause in Keith’s case. You 
know how reserved he is, and how he might 
have been turning over and over in his mind 
some grief that he wouldn’t for worlds have 
confided to any one, even your mother. Can 
you help us to think what it might have been, 
Don? ” 

Don stood silent and troubled, thinking 
hard, but in the end he shook his head dubi- 
ously. 

“ No, but I think Mother is right that 


THE SHADOW 


257 


there is something on his mind, though I 
haven’t any idea what, unless — ” 

“ Unless what, Don? ” 

“ Unless it is something I’ve said. Keith 
and I are always quarrelling, and lately 
more than ever. We’ve both said some 
pretty hot things. We did just yesterday. 
But I never thought a bit of it afterward 
and I didn’t suppose he did. Dr. Carey ” — 
and in spite of himself there was a little 
quaver in Don’s voice — “ you don’t 
think — ’ ’ 

“ No, Don, I don’t. It takes more than a 
few angry words to cause an illness like 
Keith’s, though I can’t deny that in his men- 
tally abnormal and over-sensitive state the 
quarrels may have aggravated the trouble. 
I don’t want to add one jot to your trouble, 
lad. I know you too well not to know how 
every unkind thing you ever said to Keith 
will rise up to torture you now. It is one 
of the bitterest lessons we all have to learn, 
that our own words and deeds can arise and 
strike us. But, honestly, Donald, I do not 
believe you are in any way responsible, and 


258 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


yon must not worry about it. You will need 
every bit of courage and self control for 
your mother’s sake. It is coming hardest on 
her. You must watch and spare her all you 
can . 9 ’ 

“ I’ll try,” said Don huskily. 

And just then Mrs. Wallace herself, the 
pretty color all swept out of her face, came 
down the stairs, and was straightway en- 
veloped in Don’s arms, while Dr. Carey 
slipped quietly away, leaving the two to- 
gether. 

Day succeeded day with the heavy dullness 
of monotonous grief and the shadow did not 
lift. The boys went about their lessons and 
the little round of daily duties with a queer 
remote feeling that it was all a terrible 
dream, that it simply could not be true that 
it was Keith who lay in that quiet room, 
quiet save for the cruelly meaningless babble 
of the white lips and the low fevered moans. 
No one save the doctor and the nurse, the 
father and the mother entered the sickroom, 
but its haunting atmosphere filled the house, 
penetrated its remotest recesses. One could 


THE SHADOW 


259 


escape it nowhere except in merciful sleep- 
ing hours. 

Don kept his promise to the doctor and 
gave himself unremittingly to sparing his 
weary, grief stricken little mother. He 
guarded her rest hours with dragon-like 
sternness, relieved her of all the household 
burdens his clumsy, unaccustomed boyish 
hands could manage, ruled the younger lads 
with firm clan discipline, though keeping 
them jealously from knowing how dark and 
ever darker the shadow was growing. Not 
that any one told him the sorrowful truth. 
There was no need. He knew his mother too 
well not to read it in her eyes, though her 
lips were always hopeful. 

Elizabeth and Cecilia came home as soon 
as Mrs. Page was able to travel, and the 
Princess especially was an unspeakable com- 
fort to Don with her undaunted hopefulness 
and her staunch denial of his having any 
share in the burden of Keith’s illness, a grim 
spectre which, in spite of the doctor’s assur- 
ance, would rise up to torment his morbidly 
sensitive and remorseful conscience. 


260 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


One morning when Don crept to the door 
of the sickroom, as was his custom, to wait 
for the bulletin of how the night had gone, 
his father came out, with a face strangely 
drawn and aged with anguish. Don checked 
the question on his lips and waited, hardly 
daring to breathe for the word he dreaded to 
hear. Dr. Wallace put out both hands and 
laid them on the boy’s shoulders, 

“■We’ve been fighting — all night, Son. 
Go and telegraph Rupert to come. It will 
be — one thing or — the other by to-night. ’ ’ 

Don wrung his father’s hand, and then 
bolted precipitately. The telegram was sent. 
He came back to the house, which Billy and 
Robin had already left for school. Don sat 
alone outside the fatal door and waited dog- 
gedly, too stunned even to feel grief. There 
the doctor found him and took him off to the 
kitchen for a cup of coffee, which the boy 
swallowed mechanically, still silent and emo- 
tionally benumbed. 

“Now then,” ordered the doctor 
brusquely, “ go and saw wood or study or 
do something else, like the devil. WeTl call 


THE SHADOW 


261 


you. There’s no sense in your being up 
there. ’ ’ 

Thus deprived of the only occupation 
which suggested itself to his dazed mind, 
Don strolled absently into the library and 
took down a book at random from the 
shelves, blindly with no conscious choice. It 
was an old book, a half forgotten novel of 
an earlier day which had rested undisturbed 
for more than a decade in its quiet place. 
It had no interest for Don, and he threw it 
down on the table with a weary sigh. The 
book missed its destination, however, and 
fell to the floor with a thud which seemed 
unendurably heavy in the silent waiting 
house. A paper had slipped from the book 
in its descent and Don picked it up mechan- 
ically and with no possible interest. As his 
eye glanced over the few written lines he 
gave a sharp exclamation and dropped into 
a chair, still grasping the paper tensely. 
Strangely the past sometimes rises to illumi- 
nate the present. Those long ago written 
words, tucked away in an unread volume, 
told Don what his mother had told Mr. Page 


262 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


weeks ago, the thing that Keith did not 
know. 

But did Keith not know? It flashed across 
Don’s mind that what he himself had so nar- 
rowly escaped knowing might, by some fatal 
chance, have reached Keith in its dreadful 
completeness, and, if this were so, the mys- 
tery of his illness was explained with pitiful 
clearness. He thrust the paper in his pocket 
and went out of the room, his mind in a 
strange whirl of new and almost incredible 
suggestions and sharp elucidations of old 
vexed questions. He went slowly up the 
stairs and habit took him to the door of 
Keith’s room. Almost as he reached the 
door it swung open and his mother came out, 
worn and frail but with the light of great 
joy in her eyes. 

“ Don,” she whispered tremulously. “ It 
is sleep — real sleep, and the doctor says we 
may have good hope.” 

“ Oh, Mother! ” And in the comfort of 
his joyous cry his mother laid her head on 
Don’s shoulder and cried for the first time. 


CHAPTER XXI 


WHAT KEITH KNEW 

There was no longer any room for doubt. 
Keith was getting well. The tide had really 
turned. He was conscious all his waking 
hours now, and the delirium had ceased. He 
lay weak and ill and sadly indifferent to 
every one save his mother, whose every mo- 
tion he followed jealously with his great dark 
eyes. 

A day or two after the crisis Donald 
sought his mother in the “ Chamber of 
Peace. ’ ’ 

“ Mother,” he blurted out, “ do you know 
what made Keith sick? 99 

“ No, dear, I don’t, though sometimes in 
his delirium — ’ ’ she broke off with troubled 
eyes. 

“ I know,” said Don. “ I’ve been won- 
dering if he didn’t give it away.” 

263 


264 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Give what away? What do yon mean, 
my son? ” 

“Mother, I know — what you told Mr. 
Page that day.” 

“Donald,” tensely. “You listened — to 
that ? ” 

“ No, Mother, I didn’t. I just heard about 
his wanting to adopt Keith and your refu- 
sing for a reason I didn’t hear. Then I 
realized I was eavesdropping and beat 
it. But I know just the same, for the 
other day I found this in a book.” And 
he thrust the yellowed sheet into her 
hands. 

Mrs. Wallace read hastily words which she 
herself had written long ago to her brother 
Stuart, Cecilia’s father, an unfinished letter 
which had been replaced by another and lain 
forgotten in an unread book until Don had 
blindly stumbled on it. 

“ Dear Stuart ” — the lines ran — 

“ Rupert and I have decided to keep 
Cyril’s little Keith. We cannot bear to leave 
him to strangers, and his baby self has quite 


WHAT KEITH KNEW 


265 


won our hearts aside from the love we bore 
his dear father. He shall never know the 
difference and shall he as dear as our own 
Rupert and Donald — ” 

Here the letter ended, and Mrs. Wallace 
looked up to meet her son’s eyes with an 
anxious question in them. 

“ Yes, dear, it is true,” she said gravely, 
quite as if he had spoken. 

4 4 That was what you told Mr. Page? ” 

“ Yes, Don.” 

“ Then I believe Keith heard and has 
known all this time and it was that that 
made him sick.” 

‘ ‘ I am afraid you are right, Don. Oh, my 
poor, poor laddie! How he must have suf- 
fered, trying to bear it all alone! It was 
cruel. I must go to him. I must comfort 
him somehow.” 

“ But, Mother, suppose we are wrong. If 
he doesn’t know — of course my knowing 
doesn’t matter,” earnestly. 

“ I know, dear, that I can trust you abso- 
lutely, but I believe Keith does know. The 


266 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


things he said in his delirium make me sure 
that he does. I must go to him now, 
Don.” 

She stooped and kissed Don, but her 
thoughts were of Keith. 

Left alone, Don threw himself on the couch 
and shut his eyes, trying to picture what it 
would be like to find himself an alien with 
no share in Mother and Dad and the rest. 
It was unthinkable. Had Keith known all 
these days and kept the terrible secret hid- 
den until at last mind and body had rebelled 
and demanded payment for days and nights 
of torture? Never had Keith seemed as near 
and dear, as truly a brother as now, when 
he knew him to he no blood kin whatever. 
And he himself, rich in all that in which the 
other had been poor, had resented his moth- 
er’s protecting, yearning tenderness for the 
other and had given hot, cruel words where 
the utmost sympathy and consideration 
would have been all too little to ease the 
weight of the burden. Not that the self ar- 
raignment arranged itself so logically as this 
in Don ’s perturbed mind, but it was all there, 


WHAT KEITH KNEW 


267 


a remorseful tangle of merciless self re- 
proach. 

“ Beast! ” he groaned, and hid his head 
in the pillows. 

In the meantime his mother went softly 
into the sickroom and dismissed the nurse 
for her evening reprieve. Keith’s eyes were 
shut and she believed he /was sleeping, hut 
as she bent over him the dark eyes flew open. 

“ It’s Mother, dear,” she said gently. 

A sudden spasm of grief and bitterness 
flashed across the wan face. 

“ It isn’t,” he hissed. “ I haven’t any 
mother. I’m tired of pretending.” 

But mother arms were around him even as 
he spoke. 

4 ‘ My little son! My poor, poor little 
son! ” she crooned tenderly. “ Some day 
I’ll tell you all about it, how you came to 
Father and me when you were a tiny, tiny 
baby and have been ours ever since, as dear 
as dear can be.” 

“ You can’t love me like Don and the 
rest,” he protested jealously, trying to draw 
back from her encircling arms. 


268 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Ah, but I do, dear. There never has 
been any difference. ’ ’ 

u But I am different. I don’t belong,” 
sharply. 

“ Oh, yes, you do, dear. You belong in 
Mother’s arms just as you have always be- 
longed, ever since you were a little three- 
day-old baby. Listen, dear. I’ll sing you 
the lullaby I used to sing to you and Don. 
Shut your eyes and try to forget everything 
except that Mother loves you dearly, dearly, 
little son.” 

And comforted almost in spite of him- 
self, worn out with long grief which had at 
last found relief in words, soothed by the 
familiar music of his earliest memories, 
Keith fell asleep in his mother’s arms. 

That evening when Robin had gone off to 
bed Mrs. Wallace summoned Rupert and Don 
and Billy to the living-room and told them 
what Don knew already, and what Keith had 
known for many a weary day. Keith was the 
son of Cyril Clayton, a dear friend of their 
father’s, a musician of rare promise, from 
whom his son had evidently inherited the 


WHAT KEITH KNEW 


269 


gift. His mother had died in giving birth 
to the little son, and typhoid had taken the 
gifted father only a few weeks later, who 
died, leaving the baby in the care of the Wal- 
laces, who had immediately legally adopted 
him. 

4 4 Mother, does Keith know! ” demanded 
Rupert, when he found breath after the stag- 
gering announcement. 

44 Yes, dear, he does. He found it out most 
cruelly weeks ago, though we have only just 
discovered the truth and realized how he has 
been suffering. It nearly killed him.” 

44 And I thought he didn’t care,” groaned 
Don. 44 Shows what a lot I knew about it.” 

44 I told you not to judge, Son. I knew 
you were wrong. ’ ’ 

44 Just think of finding out a thing like 
that and keeping it to yourself,” gasped 
Billy, who was naturally garrulous and ex- 
pansive. 

44 Some grit! ” agreed Rupert admiringly. 
44 No wonder he was cranky, eh, Don! ” 

Don flushed, and looked rather shame- 
facedly at his mother. 


270 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ And I was mad because you took his 
part. Oh, Mother! ” 

“ Oh, Don! But you didn’t know. Not 
that that is any excuse for quarrelling, is it, 
Son? ” 

“ No,” admitted Don. “ Anyway, I’ll be- 
have better now I do know.” 

“ So will we all,” put in Eupert. 4 4 You 
aren’t the only one, old man. Poor old 
Keith! I’d do anything to make up for it 
all if I could. I never knew I cared so much 
until that telegram came. Gee! ” and 
Rupert’s hand stole into his mother’s 
lap. 

“ Poor laddie! But we needed our big 
boy.” Rupert squeezed her hand gratefully 
and registered a vow that he would take care 
to be a support instead of an added burden 
henceforth. “ We need all our boys,” his 
mother went on tenderly. “ I don’t know 
what we should have done without Don.” 
And she smiled at Don, a smile that banished 
the temporary gloom cast by his tardy re- 
pentance. 

“ Don’t leave out Billy,” he added quickly. 


WHAT KEITH KNEW 


271 


“ He’s been a regular saint for him and 
nearly run his feet off doing errands.” 

4 4 Indeed we won’t leave out Billy,” said 
Mrs. Wallace warmly. “ I do appreciate 
what a splendid helper he has been. Now, 
Sons, there is no longer any secret in the 
family, and I know I can trust you all to do 
your utmost to make Keith feel that he is 
altogether one of us in every way. I know 
you will do that without any urging from 
me.” 

“ That we will, Mother,” pledged the 
Chief for them all. 


CHAPTER XXII 


AFTERMATH 

Gradually life resumed its normal course, 
but the shadow which had come and gone had 
left its mark as such human crises will. 

Rupert went back to finish his college year 
considerably sobered by the grave home- 
coming and its strange revelations. But, 
before he went, he made full and frank 
confession to his father, not only of his 
debts, which he meant to pay himself during 
the summer, but of the general folly and 
weakness of the past year. 

“ I didn’t mean to own up, Dad,” he fin- 
ished honestly. 1 1 I was going to manage the 
debts myself and keep still about the rest, 
but this affair of Keith set me thinking. 
Everything comes to light sooner or later, 
and I would rather you knew from me than 
272 


AFTERMATH 


273 


somebody else. I’ve been pretty near all the 
fifty-seven varieties of fool, and then some, 
but I’m through. If you’ll let me go back to 
college another year I ’ll show you that I can 
keep straight.” 

And Dr. Wallace, long practised reader of 
human faces, saw with understanding eyes 
that the willful, wayward lad was gone for- 
ever. Rupert might still, undoubtedly would, 
do foolish things, for wisdom does not come 
all at once, but the idle irresponsibility of 
the past was a shed garment. The boy had 
come into his manhood at last. 

There were busy times ahead for Don, for 
during the critical days of Keith’s illness 
lessons had inevitably suffered. His base- 
ball obligations he had delivered unre- 
servedly into Rod Stevens’ hands, an ar- 
rangement which was more satisfactory to 
every one concerned than any one would 
have believed possible two months earlier. 

u It’s funny,” Don confided to Elizabeth, 
“ how things that seem awfully big get to 
looking mighty small when you’re up against 
something really big! It wasn’t very long 


274 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ago that I thought the end of everything 
would come if I had to quit baseball, but I 
don’t mind a bit now. Eod and I are quite 
chummy these days, too. He is bound to win 
the Junior Essay prize and I’m awfully glad. 
It will do him heaps of good in more ways 
than one.” 

“ Don, didn’t you try for that prize your- 
self? ” demanded Elizabeth. 

He shrugged indifferently. 

4 ‘ What time have I had to be fussing over 
prize essays? ” he questioned back, and 
Elizabeth, feeling rebuked, said no more. 

As a matter of fact, the essay had been 
written even before the boat race, but for 
reasons best known to the author had found 
its destination the kitchen stove instead of 
the hands of the judges. After the papers 
had come in, and Don’s was not among them, 
Mr. Channing had inquired of Dr. Wallace 
casually if he knew why Don had not com- 
peted, and frankly expressed disappointment 
that he had not done so. 

‘ ‘ He stood an excellent chance of winning, 
and I am sure he meant to try. I must con- 


AFTERMATH 


275 


fess to some curiosity as to why he changed 
his mind at the last moment. I am sure it 
wasn’t simple laziness nor indifference. ’ ’ 

“ No,” agreed Dr. Wallace. “ Don is 
never indifferent about anything. Whatever 
he is in at all he is in all over . 9 ’ 

‘ ‘ I know. I never saw any one work more 
prodigiously than he did for the prize speak- 
ing last winter.” 

Don’s father frowned a little. 

4 4 He worked then to — overthrow a rival. 
I was not proud of that performance. 
Neither, I believe, was Donald.” 

“ Well, at any rate, Stevens will have his 
chance now. Unless I am mistaken, Donald 
was about his only possible rival in this 
essay business. It is really rather a good 
thing in its way. Stevens won’t he the worse 
for a little success and Donald doesn’t really 
need it.” 

“ No,” agreed Dr. Wallace thoughtfully. 
“ Donald doesn’t need it.” 

He was sufficiently interested, however, in 
his son’s mental processes to ask him point 
blank why he had not tried for the prize. 


276 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Don flushed and looked uncomfortable, al- 
most guilty. 

“ What was the use? ” he parried. 

“ That isn’t an answer, Don,” said his 
father. 

“ I might say I was too busy or too lazy 
or — ” he paused in confusion, meeting his 
father’s quizzical gaze. 

“ Which wouldn’t be an answer either. 
Might it be that you were too — generous? ” 
4 4 Dad! ” protested Don. 
i ‘ I have been wondering if the prize essay 
went to pay the debt of the prize speaking. 
How about it, Son? ” 

Don grinned a bit shamefacedly, fairly 
cornered. 

“ You were awfully ashamed of me that 
night, weren’t you, Dad? Don’t wonder. I 
was some ashamed of myself. There wasn’t 
any surety I would have gotten this thing 
anyway,” he added hastily. “ Probably I 
wouldn ’t, but I thought — ’ ’ 

“ You would make sure not to get it,” 
commented his father quietly. “ All right, 
Son. That was a rather fine thing to do, all 


AFTERMATH 


277 


things considered. I like it better than a 
dozen prizes.” And he held ont his hand to 
his son with a smile that certainly made Don 
feel better than if he had won a dozen prizes. 

But, after all, it was Keith who had to 
face the biggest adjustment these days. 
Health and strength came back slowly, and 
with them a saner view of things. Still he 
had his bitter hours when life seemed almost 
unendurable on its new basis, and he almost 
wished the fever had swept him out of it all 
as it had threatened to do. Even the unfa- 
miliar gentleness and consideration of the 
boys reminded him cruelly sometimes of his 
alienhood and sent him off to brood alone 
over his grief or pour it forth passionately 
on his beloved violin. He could scarcely bear 
to have his mother out of his sight, yet her 
very presence in some moods aggravated his 
misery, and he would tell himself that she 
could not love him like the rest, that he had 
no real claim on her. 

But day by day those mighty healers, love 
and time, were' curing the hurt in the boy’s 
heart. Youth is elastic and cannot grieve 


278 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


forever, and Keith’s very sensitiveness 
taught him to understand that when Billy 
showed a new thoughtfulness and Don reso- 
lutely crushed back some sharp retort it was 
not that they meant to keep him at a distance 
but because out of their affectionate sympa- 
thy they were learning to spare him in his 
trouble. And his mother! It would have 
taken duller eyes than his to have been blind 
to her tenderness and loving understanding 
during these hard days. 

For a time the questions that hovered on 
his lips could find no words, but one June 
afternoon as he lay in the hammock and his 
mother sat beside him with her sewing the 
hour came. 

4 ‘ Mother — tell me about them — my — 
other father and mother,” he faltered. 

She laid down her sewing and drew his 
hand into hers. 

‘ ‘ I never saw your mother but once, dear, 
and that was on her wedding day. She was 
lovely, a slim little thing with great dark 
eyes like yours. I never forgot how beauti- 
ful she looked all in shimmering white and 


AFTERMATH 


279 


misty gauze, with the colors from the church 
window like a halo on her head and roses 
everywhere. She looked up at your father 
with the tenderest, sweetest expression I 
think I ever saw on any face. I never saw 
her again — your poor little girl mother ! 
When the next rose time came she had gone, 
and your father brought you, a little pink 
rosebud of a baby, and put you in my arms. 
Eupert was already a big boy, away in the 
country visiting Uncle Stuart. Even Don 
was a sturdy toddling two-year-old and it 
was good to get a tiny baby in my arms 
again. I was so glad to have you, and when, 
three weeks later, your dear father Cyril 
died, you came to be really and truly our 
own. ’ ’ 

44 Was I really such a little baby? ” 

44 Less than three days old. Almost from 
your very birth you have been mine. Do you 
see, dear, that it is true when I tell you that 
there never has been any difference, that I 
love you just exactly as I do the others? Oh, 
my little boy, when I thought I was going to 
lose you it nearly broke my heart! ” 


280 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Keith squeezed the dear hand that held his 
very tight. His eyes were shut but there 
were tears on the dark lashes. 

1 6 Do you really — really — care like 
that? ” he pleaded tremulously. 

“ Like that, and more, dear; more than 
you can guess.” 

“ Just as much as Don? ” jealously, and 
with eyes that were wide open and keenly 
questioning now. 

“ Just as much as Don,” she answered 
steadily. 

He gave a long sigh and shut his eyes 
again. 

‘ ‘ Tell me about — him , 9 9 he asked again 
after a moment. 

“ Your father was Cyril Clayton, a won- 
derful violinist. People said he would be one 
of the greatest in the world, but he was very 
young when he died and the promise was left 
unfulfilled, unless some day his son is going 
to fulfil it.” 

“ Oh — ” cried Keith breathlessly, “ if 
I only could ! I’d like to be a great musician. 
He would like it, too, wouldn’t he? ” eagerly. 


AFTERMATH 


281 


“ Yes, dear, I am sure he would. But, 
Keith, he was more than a great musician. 
He was a good man. He and Dad and Uncle 
Stuart were all in college together and were 
almost like brothers. Some day Dad will tell 
you about him, how fine he was, how gentle 
and honorable in everything he did, great 
and small. That is your best inheritance, 
Keith. Sometime you will realize it.” 

A slow flush crept up in the boy’s white 
face. 

“ He wouldn’t have ever done a mean, 
sneaky, dishonorable thing, like listening to 
something he knew he wasn’t meant to 
hear? ” he muttered. 

“ No, Keith, I am sure he would not.” 

“ Then I’m not a bit like him. I did. I 
knew Mr. Page was going to talk about me, 
and I hid and — and listened.” 

“ My poor little son! You were bitterly 
punished. ’ ’ 

“ It wasn’t the first time I’ve been sneaky 
and mean and horrid. Lots of times I’ve let 
you blame Don for things that were really 
my fault. I — I don’t see how you can love 


282 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


me, Mother, but — oh, Mother — I do want 
you to.” 

Her arms were about him. 

“ Keith, dear, of course I love you. Never 
— never doubt- it. ’ ’ 

“ Then I don’t care whether I’m a genius 
or not — I just want to be loved,” he half 
sobbed, clinging to her as if he never meant 
to lose her again. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 

“ Miss Cecilia, I’ve made a new song,” 
cried Elizabeth, dancing into Cecilia’s room 
one morning, late in June. “ Listen, please, 
with all your ears. It’s to what they call a 
‘ familiar air.’ 

“ I sha’n’t learn any more lessons! 

I sha’n’t learn any more lessons! 

I sha’n’t learn any more lessons, 

Until the summer’s o’er,” 

she carolled gaily, accompanying the per- 
formance with an impromptu dance and in- 
terpretive gestures. “ Isn’t that a beautiful 
song? And so touchingly true, too! Do you 
realize that it’s vacation? ” 

Cecilia turned laughingly from the mirror 
which had reflected the whole “ show.” 

“ Oh, you’ll forget all you’ve learned, dear! 

Oh, you’ll forget all you’ve learned, dear! 

Oh, you’ll forget all you’ve learned, dear, 

Before the summer’s o’er,” 

283 


284 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


she sang back extemporaneously to the same 
“ familiar air.” 

Whereupon the Princess rushed over and 
exuberantly embraced her governess, declar- 
ing that she was a “ perfect darling,” which 
was perhaps a greater compliment than most 
governesses receive. 

“ Miss Cecilia,” the Princess flew off on a 
new tangent, “ wasn’t it Don who called 
you up last night after I had gone to 
bed? ” 

Miss Cecilia admitted that it was. 

4 ‘ What did he say ? ’ ’ Elizabeth was sure 
that somehow there must be a share for her 
in Don’s communications. 

“ That he thought it looked as if we were 
going to have fair weather,” demurely, from 
Cecilia. 

“ You wretch! ” protested Elizabeth most 
improperly. 

“ Those were his very words.” 

“ But what else did he say? ” 

“ That there isn’t a moon this week.” 

“ I hope he didn’t call you up to tell you 
that,” disgustedly. 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


285 


“ He also said there might he a sunrise 
to-morrow,” volunteered Cecilia. 

“ He must have been a regular weather 
bulletin,” sniffed the Princess. “ What are 
you two up to? Tell me that.’’ 

“ Up to getting out to Red Bridge at nine 
o’clock this morning. Are you? ” 

“ I should say I was. What are we going 
to do? ” eagerly. 

“ At this moment we are going to put on 
our stout hoots and shade hats, for the auto- 
mobile will he waiting for us in less than ten 
minutes. Fly, Princess.” 

“ Why boots? ” Elizabeth stopped long 
enough to inquire. 

“ Why not hoots? Remember your Alice. 
Also your heavy sweater.” 

“ But it’s hot.” 

“ It won’t he at sunrise.” And at this 
enigmatic response the Princess decided to 
follow instructions first and ask questions 
later. She scented mystery, and she loved 
mystery. 

There were plenty of obvious questions to 
be asked, as she discovered a few minutes 


286 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


later. Why large, heavy, lunchy-looking 
baskets tucked away in the automobile? 
Why blankets and steamer rugs? But not a 
why would Cecilia answer, and it was not 
until they were at Red Bridge and found 
Czar and Don and Billy awaiting them, also 
provided with baskets and more blankets and 
more mystifying still, a sturdy axe, that it 
dawned upon the excited Princess that Red 
Bridge was at the foot of Amanock. 

4 4 Why-ee ! ’ ’ she gasped. 4 4 I do believe 
we are going to stay all night on the moun- 
tain. 9 9 

44 Oh, no,” Don assured h.er gravely. 
44 We are just going to make the round trip 
on the subway. Pile out, you pampered chil- 
dren of luxury. Whew! Cecilia, do you 
think we are going to carry all that truck up 
the mountain? 99 

4 4 I know, ’ ’ admitted Cecilia. 4 4 It does 
look a lot now, but Bridget was so afraid we 
wouldn’t have enough to eat, and Mrs. Page 
was afraid we might be cold . 9 9 

44 Pretty pioneers, you are! 99 he jeered, 
44 But look who’s here.” 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


287 


The exclamation was called forth by the 
arrival upon the scene of a sleek little donkey 
ridden by Josiah, the stable boy from the 
Pines. The rider descended with an ex- 
tensive grin wreathing his shining counte- 
nance. 

“ Mr. Page, he says, says he,” he re- 
marked in the incongruous Yankee twang 
and dialect which he had acquired in the 
North, “ he says as how the critter’s sure- 
footed an’ likes totin’ things, an’ is jest plum 
natcherly crazy over dim ’in’, so he sent him 
erlong. He’s powerful willin’,” he added 
proudly, referring presumably to the beast 
of burden rather than to Mr. Page. 

“ That’s great,” said Don with enthusi- 
asm. “ You’re a friend, indeed, Barkis.” 

Josiah looked puzzled. 

“ How’d yer know his name? ” he queried. 
“ He hain’t got none, so fer’s I know.” 

Everybody laughed at that, but Barkis the 
beast remained. 

“ I never saw anything like Uncle Dan- 
iel,” exclaimed Elizabeth. “ He used hardly 
to know I existed, and now he is always do- 


288 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


ing something nice for me and everybody. 
Don, can he really climb the mountain? ” 

“ Mr. Page? ” teased Don, who with Jo- 
siah’s assistance was already strapping the 
blankets and provisions upon the “ willin’ ” 
sides of Barkis. 

“ Don’t be a Don-key, yourself,” retorted 
Elizabeth. “ Of course I mean Barkis.” 

“ Sure he can climb it. I’ve been up the 
trail on horseback, and a donkey is surer 
footed than a horse. It’s simply immense 
to have him — a positive inspiration on your 
uncle’s part.” 

Soon the cavalcade started up the moun- 
tainside, girls, boys, dog and donkey, all 
“ willing ” for the climb. Such a hilarious 
party! Elizabeth couldn’t help contrasting 
it with her other ill-starred venture at moun- 
tain climbing. 

“ What is the axe for? ” she asked pres- 
ently, as her eye fell on the weapon in Don’s 
hand. 

“ In case of accident, of course,” he 
chuckled. 

“ Don! Really, I want to know.” 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


289 


“ When my trusty tool gets in its work 
you ’ll see the house that Don built.” 

“ Oh, Don, really? What kind of a 
house? ” 

“ A palace for a Princess, of course. 
You’ll see.” 

“ Oh, I’m so glad I’m here,” half sang 
Elizabeth as she fairly danced along, keep- 
ing time to her jubilant spirits. 

He laughed. 

“ Better save your energy. This is no 
tango tea. There’s a stiff climb ahead. Rec- 
ognize that tree? ” 

“ Oh, Don, it’s the one that was struck. 
Why, it is dying! ” 

“ I am afraid it is,” said Don, after a 
critical survey. “ Poor old chap! ” 

“ Chap ! Aren’t you funny, Don? Just as 
if trees were people.” 

‘ 1 They seem like it to me. See that white 
birch over there. Isn’t she a Princess if 
there ever was one? That oak is an old 
battle-scarred veteran. And there are the 
spruces^ spreading out their skirts and curt- 
seying to you. They are the court ladies. 


290 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


And the pine-trees — they are the musicians 
— violins and flutes. Don’t you hear 
them? ” 

“ Why, Don, I think that’s lovely. I didn’t 
know you played things like that.” 

He laughed a little shamefacedly. 

‘ 6 I suspect I do a great many queer things 
inside that you would be surprised about if 
you knew. When Keith and I were little 
chaps we used to meet the fairies in the 
garden and sometimes I call ’em up even 
now. ’ ’ 

“ It must have been wonderful to have ' 
some one to play such things with,” sighed 
Elizabeth. 

4 4 Keith and I were pretty good chums 
then,” said Don thoughtfully. “ Somehow 
we grew ever so far apart as we got older 
and didn’t meet the fairies any more.” 

“ But you are nearer again now,” said 
Elizabeth with sudden illumination. She 
had been told the story of Keith’s adoption, 
though the family had agreed to let it go no 
farther for the present. 

“ Yes, I believe we are,” agreed Don. 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


291 


“ It’s queer, but somehow we seem more 
really brothers than we have for a long 
time. ’ ’ 

“ Perhaps youVe found another kind of 
fairy, now,” suggested Elizabeth. 

“ Another kind? 99 

“ Miss Cecilia told me once about some 
fairies somebody introduced her to, when she 
was a little girl — Fairy Love and Good Will 
and a lot of others.” 

4 4 Oh,” said Don curtly, drawing, boy- 
fashion, back into his shell of reserve. But 
he suspected Elizabeth had hit upon some- 
thing very near the truth — nearer than he 
would have cared to put into words. 

“ Poor old Keith! ” he added after a si- 
lence. “ It was a shame he couldn’t come 
with us to-day. But he would have been 
completely done up. Mother wouldn’t hear 
of it, though he is lots better.” 

“ He might have ridden Barkis.” 

At the mention of Barkis Don turned back 
to see how that convenient animal was com- 
porting himself under Billy’s supervision. 
The others were some distance behind, and 


292 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Don noticed that they appeared to have 
halted. 

“ What’s the trouble? ” he called back, 
seeing that Billy appeared to be pushing 
from the rear. “ Looks as if Barkis had 
ceased to be willing,’ ’ he commented, and 
turned back, followed by the faithful Czar, 
who was never far from his master. 

“ The brute won’t stir a step,” said Billy 
wrathfully. “ I’ve fed him and whacked 
him and pushed him and he won’t budge.” 

“ Barkis,” observed Don reproachfully, 
“ this will never do, my dear fellow. You’re 
warranted goods, you know, guaranteed will- 
ing.” 

Barkis surveyed the speaker with bland 
eyes and remained impervious to suggestion. 

“ Don, do you think he is carrying too 
heavy a load? ” asked Cecilia anxiously. 
“ Those baskets are big and he is dreadfully 
little.” 

“ He is tougher than an ox,” said Don, 
hardheartedly. “ Barkis is a gay deceiver. 
Trust him not, he’s fooling thee.” 

“ It’s all very well for you to joke, Don. 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


293 


You haven’t been wearing out your fists for 
ten minutes, pommeling him, ’ ’ feelingly from 
Billy. 

“ Keep away from our pet’s heels. They 
are likely to fly,” warned Don. “ Czar, tell 
Barkis it is time to proceed. Gently, old 
man, remember — gently. ’ ’ 

Czar had hounded to Don’s side and sent 
a comprehensive glance from his master to 
the politely stubborn bearer of burdens. 

u Very gently, Czar,” repeated Don. 
“ Just remind him.” 

And Barkis unexpectedly felt a sharp lit- 
tle nip at his left hind leg. With a wisdom 
that served him excellently well, Czar re- 
treated simultaneously with his delivery of 
the gentle reminder, and none too soon 
either, for the little grey legs began to fly 
in a series of galvanic contortions, which 
sent the various burdens careening omi- 
nously. 

“ Everything will be spilled,” wailed Eliz- 
abeth. “ Stop him, Don.” 

But, almost before the words were out, 
the performance was over and Barkis was 


294 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


starting briskly up the path quite as if he 
had taken only a moment ’s legitimate breath- 
ing spell that he might be the better pre- 
pared for the journey. 

“ Isn’t he light on his feet? ” said Don 
admiringly. “ Hustle, Billy, he’ll get there 
first. Thank you, Czar. Very neatly done. 
Let me congratulate you on your presence of 
mind and absence of body during the pyro- 
technic display. Isn’t he the willin’est crea- 
ture? ” gazing up the slope at the now speed- 
ing Barkis, who was fast becoming a grey 
blur in the distance, with Billy patiently pur- 
suing at close range. “ If he is going to 
keep up that Marathon pace I suppose I’ll 
have to spell Bill, ’ ’ and Don, too, went loping 
off up the hill after the advance guard. 

“ Dear me, I hope Barkis isn’t going to be 
as dreadfully willing as that all the way,” 
gasped Elizabeth. 

But even Barkis’ injured feelings and 
fearful energy were not proof against the 
steepness of the ascent, and he soon mod- 
erated his pace to a more normal speed. Up 
they went, and almost before Elizabeth was 


ACCOMPANYING BARKIS 


295 


aware of wliat was happening, they were at 
the top. From outcropping ledges of grey 
rock and open grassy spaces stretched the 
wonderful panorama of cloudless June sky, 
distant purple slopes and green meadows. 

4 4 Oh,” cried Elizabeth, breathlessly. “ I 
didn’t know it was like this,” and she 
dropped rather limply on a stone. “ Why 
— it is more wonderful than anything I ever 
dreamed! I never was high — before.” 


CHAPTER XXIV 


ON THE MOUNTAIN - TOP 

Barkis, relieved of his burden, was teth- 
ered to a tree; whereupon he proceeded 
serenely to graze quite as if it were his habit 
to sojourn on mountain-tops. 

“ Go to it, old man,” commended Don. 
“ I, too, have one of those nature abhorred 
vacuums inside of me. Let’s eat. To-night 
we’ll have a real genuine camp supper, but 
now the picnic stunt is in order.” 

Sandwiches of uncounted number, stuffed 
eggs, pickles, olives, cake, cookies, fruit and 
other viands were straightway marshalled 
forth from the capacious baskets and disap- 
peared in due season. After a post-prandial 
interval of rest the boys set to house-build- 
ing, or rather to the construction of the 
Royal Palace, as Don dubbed it. The boys 
were to sleep in true camp fashion, rolled 
296 


ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP 


297 


in blankets nnder the open sky, bnt they 
designed otherwise for the ladies, and grad- 
ually there rose before the charmed gaze of 
the Princess a fascinating hut of stout sap- 
lings and woven spruce boughs redolent of 
delicious woodsy odors. 

44 Don’t make it too tight,” she warned. 
4 4 I want to see the stars. What are we 
going to sleep on? ” wonderingly. 

44 Boughs and those luxurious fittings 
which the accommodating Barkis brought up 
for you. I assure you you will be most 
comfy, but you’ll hate to go to sleep.” 

44 Why? ” 

44 The outdoor things sound good at night, 
and the stars — you ’ll hate to shut your eyes 
and miss ’em,” explained Don. 44 It’s 
great. ’ ’ 

4 4 Do you really think I ’ll like it ? ” a little 
dubiously. 

44 Of course you’ll like it. You’ll wish you 
never had to sleep under a stuffy roof again 
as long as you live. There is nothing like 
it.” 


44 But are there any animals? ” 


298 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Sure. Bunnies and foxes, and maybe a 
deer or two.” 

“ Nothing else, Don? ” a bit anxiously. 

“ Well, this was where they shot the bear 
last year, and there’s always the chance of 
a stray wildcat, though unfortunately you 
can’t count on it,” he apologized. 

“ Don’t let him stuff you, Elizabeth,” 
warned Cecilia, who was suspicious of Don’s 
gravity. 

“ Honest Injun! ” protested Don, turning 
his innocent and reproachful eyes on his 
cousin, then casting a wicked wink at Billy, 
behind Cecilia’s back. “ I’m giving you 
straight goods. Ask Billy.” 

“ Sure he is,” put in Billy solemnly. 

Neither found it necessary to explain that 
the bear had been the solitary specimen 
found in these regions for many a year and 
was supposed by many to have been a de- 
serter from a circus. Wildcats had been 
seen, but were, as Don hinted, regrettably 
infrequent in their appearance. But the 
girls were fair game. 

The afternoon went by all too fast, and in 


ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP 


299 


an incredibly short time, considering the 
amount of luncheon that had been consumed, 
hunger put in its claims again. The camp 
supper was a new kind of experience for 
Elizabeth and she revelled in it. The pota- 
toes were put to roast in an improvised stone 
oven. Later the coffee was cooked, and siz- 
zling bacon fried over the blaze. How they 
ate, and how delicious everything tasted! 
Elizabeth thought she had never, in all her 
life, had anything so good. She ate unevenly 
done potatoes and greasy bacon with an avid- 
ity that would have astounded the cook at 
home, who knew what she called the “ per- 
nickities ” of the Princess. 

As they ate the sun sank, a flaming disk 
behind the hills, and the sky was a sea of 
rose color which melted into amethyst shot 
with floating drifts of gold. Finally a star 
appeared where the amethyst had in its turn 
given place to palest mauve. Then all at 
once there was not one star but thousands 
softly luminous against the skies which had 
deepened to blue black and seemed very near, 
almost as if they roofed the mountain. A 


300 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


faint little wind tiptoed along the leaves, 
which took strange shapes and cast mysteri- 
ous flickering shadows. 

‘ 6 I never knew it was — like this , 9 9 sighed 
Elizabeth softly. “ Why don’t people live 
where they can see night? Everybody shuts 
it out, and it’s wonderful — the most won- 
derful, beautiful thing in the world.” 

Don shot her a quick glance of approba- 
tion. He liked her tribute to outdoor night. 
In his boyish way he felt much as she did 
about it, though he would never have put it 
into words. Cecilia suggested an early bed- 
time, as they planned to get up for the sun- 
rise the next morning. The Princess found 
her bed very comfortable, but it was long 
before she fell asleep. The mystery of the 
night outside her rustic palace, the inscru- 
table stars, the strange whisperings and 
crackling among the leaves, the scurry of 
small creatures, the sense of something very 
big, but very beneficent, some unknown and 
all-pervasive presence, kept her tinglingly 
awake, but at last her eager eyes closed and 
her tense ears listened no longer. 


V 


ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP 


301 


How long she had been asleep she didn’t 
know, but suddenly she awakened with a 
start. She could hear a strange, heavy 
sound, a moving body, coming near and ever 
nearer. She held her breath and listened, 
not daring to move. She put out her hand 
at last and touched Cecilia, who was still 
sleeping as if nothing unusual were happen- 
ing. Again Elizabeth listened, and for the 
moment all was terrifyingly still. Then it 
began again the heavy tread, accompanied 
now and then by horrible crunching sounds. 
Nearer and nearer the thing came, deliber- 
ately, stealthily, as a beast might approach, 
preparing to pounce upon his prey. She was 
too much frightened to cry out and waited 
in an agony of suspense for what would hap- 
pen next. Suddenly, to her horror, she saw 
something — a formless monster, outside the 
hut. It was huge. Too big for a wildcat 
surely, but a bear — might a bear be of as 
terrible proportions as that? She shut her 
eyes, unable to endure the sight. The heavy 
step came nearer. The creature must be 
almost upon them, and yet she could not 


302 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


move to warn her sleeping companion of the 
impending horror. She was stricken with 
a perfect paralysis of fright. Suddenly 
through the tense silence resounded a deaf- 
ening clangorous noise, an unmistakable and 
prolonged bray, followed by a shout of mirth 
from the boys. Cecilia sat up bewildered. 

“ What — oh, it’s Barkis,” she murmured 
sleepily. “ Shoo, you beast. Did he wake 
you, Elizabeth? Why, child, you are as cold 
as ice! Were you frightened? ” 

“ A — a little, ’ ’ gulped Elizabeth gamely. 
“ No wonder. Such a noise! Don, do tie 
the creature up,” she called, hearing her 
cousin stirring without. 

“ There was an old donkey named Barkis 

Who loved to stroll round in the darkness. 

He’d a terrible way 

Of emitting a bray 

Which just made you wish him a carcass,” 

chanted Don, impromptu. “ Come hither, 
you precious, perambulating pilgrim. 

“ 1 Come, let me clutch thee, 

I have thee not and yet I see thee still/ 


ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP 


303 


Hi, there, Bill, head the brute off. There you 
are, angel. Steady now. 4 Rest, rest, per- 
turbed spirit. ’ To whom it may concern. It 
is going to be sunrise mighty sudden. Didn’t 
you hear the harbinger of dawn who sum- 
moned ye? Stand not upon the order of 
your coming, but come at once.” 

Elizabeth giggled hysterically. 

44 Miss Cecilia, for goodness’ sake, let’s 
get up. Between Barkis and Don I’m nearly 
dead.” 

44 Barkis hath murdered sleep, therefore, Ce-cil-i-a 

Shall sleep no more, Prin-cess shall sleep no more,” 

came the relentless voice from without, and 
in a few minutes the two girls stepped blink- 
ing out into the grey world outside their pal- 
ace. 

4 4 Don, who would have believed you guilty 
of knowing so much Shakespeare, and before 
sunrise, too,” complained Cecilia. 44 It is 
disgraceful.” 

44 Sorry. 

44 4 My lord is often thus, 

And hath been from his youth.’ 


304 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


Look, there ’s a streak of pink. She’s com- 
ing.” 

“ Listen,” said Cecilia, lifting her hand. 
“ The birds.” 

There had been vague flutterings and faint 
twittering for some time, but now the whole 
mountain was vocal with the most ecstatic 
melody Elizabeth had ever heard. The pink 
streak in the east deepened to warm rose, 
and finally the sun came up out of the cloud 
bank. Above everything grew clear under 
the dome of cloudless blue, but below the 
morning mists still lingered and went drift- 
ing along in chiffony trails over the valley. 
“ Why, we’re above the clouds,” cried Eliz- 
abeth. “ Oh, Miss Cecilia, think of this go- 
ing on, year after year, night after night, day 
after day, and nobody sees it.” 

“ Like it? ” asked Don. 

“ Like it! Don, it is the most wonderful 
experience I ever had in all my life, and I’ll 
never forget it — never. ’ ’ 

Presently, however, Cecilia persuaded the 
rapturous Princess to go back to the palace 
for a wee nap, and the wee nap so prolonged 


ON THE MOUNTAIN-TOP 


305 


itself that when she awoke it was full day, 
and Don was frying potatoes over a merry;* 
crackling fire. 

And so ended Elizabeth’s first night under 
the stars, her first awakening to what she 
called the “ real world.” 


CHAPTER XXV 


KEITH ’s BIRTHDAY 

“ Auntie, dear, I’m off to Keith’s birth- 
day party with Miss Cecilia,” announced 
Elizabeth. “ I thought maybe you would be 
asleep when we came home, so I would say 
good night now.” 

“ Come here and let me look at you, 
child.” Mrs. Page’s voice was less plaintive 
these days and her nerves less easily upset. 
Though she would never enjoy robust health, 
the operation had done much for her. But 
the change in her was more than merely phys- 
ical. Elizabeth’s buoyant happiness had 
overflowed as happiness will, and in finding 
the bluebird herself she had unconsciously 
blessed the whole household. Cecilia had in- 
deed transformed the Pines with her magic 
— the white magic of a serene, unselfish, 
courageous spirit. “ How you grow! ” eon- 
306 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


307 


tinued Mrs. Page, surveying her radiant 
young niece. “ You are not a bit like the 
child you were last winter.” 

“ I’m not,” smiled Elizabeth. “ ’Tisn’t 
only inches either. I’m a changeling.” 

“ I believe you are, dear,” with unusual 
comprehension. “ I don’t know what we 
should do without you, child.” 

* 1 Dear little Auntie, you’ve been awfully 
good to me.” Elizabeth stooped and kissed 
her. “ Is there anything I can do for you 
before I go? ” 

“ I think not, thank you. Run along and 
have a good time.” 

Elizabeth, dancing out of the room, nearly 
collided with her uncle in the hall. 

“ Oh, please excuse me. I was in a dread- 
ful rush, because I’m going to Keith’s party, 
and I reckon Miss Cecilia’s waiting for 
me.” 

“ I was just looking for , you. Will you 
give this to Keith, please? It is a birthday 
present.” He handed her a large square 
envelope as he spoke. 

“ Yes, indeed. Grood-by, nice Uncle.” 


308 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ Wait a minute, child. If they don’t want 
Keith to accept this, tell them — tell them it 
is — for Kenneth. I wanted to adopt Keith, 
hut they wouldn’t hear of it. Right too,” 
he muttered. “ I just wanted to claim a 
musician, Mrs. Wallace insisted on keeping 
a human soul she’d made herself responsi- 
ble for. But I was disappointed. I coveted 
the boy, ’ ’ he sighed. ‘ ‘ But she was right — 
right. There are bigger things in the world 
than music, though I didn’t use to think so. 
Only don’t let them refuse this. Make them 
take it — for my boy’s sake.” And before 
Elizabeth could speak he was gone, leaving 
her with the fat envelope in her hand and 
a wondering expression on her face. 

“ Poor Uncle Daniel,” she sighed. “ If 
only Kenneth had lived.” 

“ Ready, dear? ” 

At the sound of Miss Cecilia’s voice Eliza- 
beth whirled around and promptly forgot 
Uncle Daniel. 

“ Oh, Miss Cecilia, you look like an angel 
in that dress,” she cried as Cecilia came 
down the stairs toward her. 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


309 


“ What about yourself? ” smiled Cecilia, 
for Elizabeth, too, was in airy fairy white. 

But Elizabeth shook her head in quick dis- 
claimer. 

“ Who ever heard of a brunette angel? ” 
she protested. “ They are always blue and 
gold creatures. The rest of us have no 
chance. We’re doomed to be — well, non- 
angels. ’ ’ 

Cecilia laughed. 

“ Well, Miss Princess Non-angel, your 
chariot waits without. Let us descend.” 

It was a strictly family party to which 
Cecilia and Elizabeth had been invited, the 
occasion being Keith’s fourteenth birthday. 
Usually his shyness would have repudiated 
even such a celebration, but oddly enough 
the idea seemed to appeal to him this year. 
It was as if the little festivity shared by his 
near and dear ones was a sort of formal re- 
establishment of his position as a member 
of the Clan. Everywhere all over the house 
were roses. It had been the boy’s fancy to 
have it so, perhaps meant as a tribute to the 
young mother who had left him in rose time. 


310 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


The birthday had been marked by a long 
intimate talk with “ Dad.” Under the spell 
of the words of the man who had loved him 
as a brother, Keith’s splendid, gifted young 
father had almost seemed to take visible 
form before the boy’s eyes. His emotions 
were profoundly stirred, his imagination set 
afire, his desire kindled to be like this rare 
being who strangely enough was his father. 
Some hitherto dormant moral sense sprang 
to life within him as he listened to tales of 
Cyril Clayton and knew the manner of man 
he had been. Had he looked for a standard 
of manhood before, he might have found it, 
as Rupert and Donald had done, in the quiet 
gentleman who now painted in glowing col- 
ors a loved and unforgotten friend, but Keith 
had not looked. In time he would see that 
too, but not now. To-day he heard only the 
call of his dead father, the challenge to put 
on a new armor, the armor of courage and 
generosity and high honor that the years 
might make him worthy of his inheritance. 

The supper that night was a gala one. 
Everybody conspired to make Keith forget 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


311 


whatever of sadness lurked behind the sur- 
face of the celebration and to make this an- 
other occasion of happy memory that should 
link him closer than ever to them all. There 
was a magnificent birthday cake with the 
requisite number of candles, with his name 
lettered gorgeously upon its white surface in 
gay colored candies. After the cake cere- 
mony was over a new dish, which Don called 
the “ family pie,” was brought on. The pie 
was served in a huge tin dishpan and cov- 
ered over with a crust of silver paper, 
adorned with snapshots of the entire family, 
from Dr. Wallace down to Czar and Billy’s 
bantam, with Keith and his violin in the 
centre. 

The mystified Keith lifted the silver cover 
and saw a queer assortment of bulging pack- 
ages, boxes and other miscellany reposing on 
a nest of green leaves like so many strange 
eggs. The more serious gifts of the day had 
already been bestowed, including the most 
significant treasure, his father’s watch, 
which bore within the cover a charming pic- 
ture of a dark-eyed, flower-faced girl. But 


312 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


the u family pie ” was a hilarious mixture 
of jokes and reminiscences arranged by Don 
and Rupert with a view to promoting mirth 
in general, but with an undercurrent of sug- 
gestion to Keith of how inextricably his four- 
teen years were interwoven with the life of 
the Clan. There were all kinds of musical 
instruments, from absurd little pasteboard 
guitars and banjos with candy in them to 
an array of flutes, harmonicas and even a 
tiny drum. A large magnet was destined, 
according to the accompanying inscription, 
“ to draw audiences.” A bottle of olives 
was significantly labelled in Don’s familiar 
scrawl, “ Peace in the family jar.” A book- 
let of pen and ink sketches done by the ver- 
satile Rupert was entitled, “ Prophetic Press 
Notes,” and caused much merriment. “ The 
violinist brought down the house 9 9 was illus- 
trated by a long-haired personage bearing a 
bungalow upon his shoulders. A page of 
hearts of assorted sizes was inscribed, “ The 
artist won all hearts.” A pile of bestringed 
and sealed packages, marked “ Parcels 
Post,” represented “ The boxes were 


KEITH'S BIRTHDAY 


313 


packed." A hand exhibiting five playing 
cards, three aces and two ten spots, was in- 
scribed, ‘ ‘ There was a full house. ’ ’ The fact 
that this last witticism had to be explained 
to some of the unsophisticated female guests, 
and that Dr. Wallace took upon himself the 
task of enlightenment, tickled the boys might- 
ily, and warmed Don to inquire if anybody 
knew when cards were first mentioned in the 
Bible. Of course everybody obligingly pro- 
fessed ignorance', though Dr. Wallace's eyes 
twinkled somewhat, so Don was permitted to 
go on with the answer, “ When Noah sat on 
the deck." 

“ Old dog in the manger! " chuckled Ru- 
pert. “ Probably Shem and the rest of 'em 
wanted a quiet little game to pass the time 
away while they watchfully waited for the 
dampness to subside. I say, Don, I know 
some heap better ones than that." 

Possibly his mother was a little afraid of 
the “ heap better ones." At any rate, she 
shook her head at her eldest and bade Keith 
go on with the pie. 

The various packages with their mirth- 


314 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


provoking captions brought the fun to high- 
water mark, and, at last, Keith came to the 
bottom and drew out Mr. Page’s envelope, 
which Elizabeth had almost forgotten in her 
excitement. Keith opened it carelessly, sup- 
posing it another joke like the rest. 

“ Why! ” he exclaimed puzzled. 4 4 It’s a 
bankbook! Mother! 99 he gasped. “ Mother, 
it’s — look!” And he fairly threw the 
packet at his mother. 

It was, as Keith said, a bankbook, and its 
credit column indicated that the sum of fif- 
teen hundred dollars had been deposited in 
the name of Keith Clayton Wallace. 

“ Here’s a card! ” excitedly from Keith. 
“ It’s from Mr. Page. Listen. ‘ To Keith, 
to remind him of his promise to become a 
great musician.’ ” 

Mrs. Wallace handed the book rather 
gravely across the table to her husband. 

“Mother! Isn’t it splendid? Fifteen 
hundred dollars! Now I can study abroad 
and everything.” 

“Fifteen hundred dollars! Whew! ” 
whistled Rupert. “ Going some, Kid.” 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


315 


4 4 It is very generous,” said Mrs. Wallace. 

44 It is too generous,” said Dr. Wallace 
emphatically. 44 We cannot accept it.” 

4 4 Oh-h ! ’ ’ and the wail of heartbroken dis- 
appointment in Keith’s voice smote his 
mother. She put out her hand and clasped 
his. 44 Wait, dear,” she whispered. 

Dr. Wallace laid the hook on the table. 

44 Mr. Page has given Keith fifteen hun- 
dred dollars, presumably for his musical ed- 
ucation,” he announced. 44 Am I wrong, 
Sons, in thinking it too much to accept even 
from so good a friend? Is it a false and 
foolish pride on my part to wish to educate 
my boys myself, to give them all I can, and 
trust to them to work out the rest for them- 
selves? ” 

His deep voice trembled a little. They saw 
that he was touched to the quick by what 
seemed to him almost a reproach, a hint of 
his inability to provide adequately for 
Keith. 

Like a flash Rupert was on his feet and 
by his father’s side. 

44 Dad, dear old Dad! ” he cried earnestly. 


316 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


“ You’ve given us something a thousand 
times better than money. Mother, tell him,” 
he pleaded. “ Make him see.” 

Mrs. Wallace smiled through tears at her 
two Euperts. 

“ You have told him, dear. Father does 
see.” 

“ Yes,” said Dr. Wallace, putting a hand 
on his son’s shoulder. “ I do see. Thank 
you, Son.” 

There was something like tears in his eyes, 
but the hurt had gone out of his voice. 

‘ 1 But the money — ” he added, gazing 
distastefully at the book. ‘ 4 Do you all think 
we ought to take it, or rather let Keith take 
it? It — it is a great deal.” 

“ It takes a great deal for Keith’s kind 
of an education,” said Eupert. “ I under- 
stand how you feel, Dad, but I do think it’s 
a mistake. Keith is different, you see. Now, 
Mother, wait,” answering the quick warning 
in her eyes. “ I don’t mean that Keith is 
different because he isn’t our brother. We 
all know there’s nothing in that. The very 
way Dad feels proves that Keith is just as 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


317 


much one of us as if he had been horn so. 
But, all the same, Keith is different, because 
he’s a genius, and geniuses belong not to 
families but to the world. And that’s why 
I think we haven’t a right to prevent Mr. 
Page from helping if he wants to. I never 
forgot the way he talked that night up at the 
Pines. You remember, Cecilia,” he appealed 
to his cousin. u He made me feel as if I 
hadn’t any business to let Dad send me to 
college at all, that I was taking Keith’s 
chance away from him. It hit me hard, be- 
cause I knew better than any one else how 
little business I had to be going the way I 
was going. But that’s over, you know, Dad. 
It isn’t only on Keith’s account, though that 
is why I think we ought to take the thing. I 
was confoundedly sorry for the old duffer, 
and if it’s going to make him any happier 
to do this, I say let him do it. Hello, Prin- 
cess. I forgot your august presence for the 
moment. Beg pardon if I mentioned your 
esteemed relative disrespectfully. Suppose 
you testify.” 

Which was precisely what the Princess had 


318 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


been waiting breathlessly for a chance to do. 
She understood now what her uncle had 
feared and what he had begged her to do for 
him if the^need came. 

“ Oh, please, Dr. Wallace, and every- 
body,’ ’ she cried. “ Rupert is right. There 
is nothing under the sun could make Uncle 
Daniel so happy as to have you take it, and 
nothing that could make him feel sorrier 
than to have you refuse. Everybody says 
Keith is a wonder. Do let him have a chance 
to help. It will make him so happy. It 
means more than just music to him. It means 
— Kenneth. He told me to tell you it was 
for Kenneth’s sake. He might have been a 
great musician, too, if he had lived. But he 
didn’t, and Uncle Daniel hasn’t anybody.” 
There was almost a sob in her voice, she 
pleaded so earnestly, from her heart, for the 
uncle she loved. 

“ The child is right, Rupert,” said Mrs. 
Wallace, and her voice, too, was a little trem- 
ulous. “ We cannot be so selfish as to refuse 
him the happiness of helping. Think, dear, 
how much we have and how poor with all 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


319 


his money he is. He has nobody, as Eliza- 
beth says.” 

Dr. Wallace smiled across the table at his 
wife. He never yet had gone against the 
loving wisdom of her heart. He did not now. 

“ Very well, Eleanor. Yon shall keep 
yonr present, Son,” to Keith. 

The lad’s face flushed, then paled a little. 

“ I — I’m glad,” he stammered. “ I can’t 
help being glad, but, Dad, the money isn’t 
the biggest. It’s as Rupert said. I’m glad- 
der because you called me Son, and I want 
to be a son — a real one.” 

And overcome by this unusual unlocking 
of the gates of his reserve, he hid his face 
in his mother’s arms. 

“ Hear! Hear! ” said Don approvingly. 
“ Does everybody realize that I’ve kept still 
precisely sixteen minutes and thirty-nine 
seconds, more or less, and that I shall simply 
bust if I don’t have an outlet. I refuse to 
be left out of the general bouquet throwing. 
I second everything Rupe said, and I’d like 
to add that the very top-notchest, prime, 
bangupesf thing Dad gave us is — Mother.” 


320 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


There was a stampede and Mrs. Wallace 
was fairly smothered by encircling boyish 
arms. 

Elizabeth squeezed Cecilia’s hand appre- 
ciatively. 

i 4 Aren’t they dear and funny? ” she whis- 
pered. “ And isn’t a family the loveliest 
thing? ” 

Cecilia nodded understanding^, and there 
was no bitterness in her heart, only a great 
happiness for the blessing of the love of 
these dear ones. She smiled across at her 
uncle, who was doubly dear to her because 
he was not only uncle but her father’s dear- 
est friend. 

“ Aren’t you proud of them? ” she asked 
softly. 

4 4 Very,” he smiled back. “ You have 
considerable cause to be proud yourself, my 
dear little Civilizing Influence.” 

“ I? ” she puzzled. “ I haven’t done any- 
thing. ’ ’ 

“ Rupert tells a different story,” he re- 
minded her, and Cecilia smiled, well content. 

“ There is another present for Keith,” 


KEITH’S BIRTHDAY 


321 


announced Mrs. Wallace when she was per- 
mitted to breathe again. 

44 What? Where? ” came in eager chorus. 

44 In the living-room. ’ ’ 

Of course every one adjourned at that to 
find the missing gift. 

44 I don’t see anything,” declared Billy. 

44 Nor I,” echoed Don. 44 Oh, but I do 
though. There’s another vi — ” he broke 
off. 

But Keith had already pounced upon the 
new violin. 

44 Oh, what a beauty! ” he cried ecstatic- 
ally. 44 Is it really mine? ” 

44 It was your father’s. Now it is yours,” 
said Mrs. Wallace, gently. 

Keith stood a moment looking down at the 
beautiful instrument with eyes that saw far 
more than a material thing of wood. Ten- 
derly he bent over the instrument, tuning it 
softly with reverent touch. The dusk fell 
about them and the room was filled with the 
scent of the memorial roses. What would he 
choose to play this first time he touched his 
father’s wonderful violin that in its day had 


322 THE PRINCESS AND THE CLAN 


cast its spell over so many rapturous listen- 
ers? Would it be Chopin, Beethoven, Mc- 
Dowell? Which of the masters he loved 
would he summon ? The rich, exquisite tones 
quivered into a simple old strain, which came 
straight from a boy’s full heart. It was only 
“ Home, Sweet Home,” but it was played, 
as Keith had never played before, and the 
Princess and the Clan knew, as they listened, 
that somehow love — the greatest thing in 
the world — was speaking its message 
through the violin. 


THE END. 



MISS BILLY-MARRIED 

A Sequel to “ Miss Billy ” and “ Miss 
Billy’s Decision ” 

(By Eleanor H. ‘Porter 

Author of “ PoIIyanna:” The GLAD Book ( Trade Mark), “ Cross 
Currents,” “The Turn of the Tide,” etc. 

9 

/ 2mo, cloth decorative, with frontispiece in full color, decorative 
jacket. lACet $ 1 .25; carriage paid $1 .40 

9 

In which the gifted author of “PoIIyanna,” the most popular 
book for the year 1913, scores another success and makes of 
the married life of adorable Billy Neilson — the heroine of the 
MISS BILLY books — and Bertram Henshaw a story of un- 
usual tenderness and sweetness. There is a deal of delicious 
humor and common sense, too, in the story, and happiness in 
abundance, even in the trying days when the young bride finds 
herself bereft of a cook and burdened with the care of a Bea- 
con Street household. But whether the weather be fair or 
threatening, she is “just Billy,” happy when making someone’s 
burden lighter, happier still with the advent of Bertram, Jr., 
and happiest of all when her husband is able to use his strong 
right arm again, even to paint the dreaded “ face of a girl.” 

As is the case with all of Mrs. Porter’s books, the story is 
“ always life,” gracefully and sympathetically presented, carry- 
ing with it a message of happiness. 









THE ROSE OF ROSES 


fffy <*%Crs. Henry {F$ackus 

Author of “The Career of Dr. Weaver” 

9 

/ 2mo, clolh decorative, with frontispiece in full color 
3\£et $ 1 .25 ; carriage paid $ l . 40 

9 

A girl of unusual beauty, endowed with a singing voice of rare 
quality, and possessor of that charm of person which men some- 
times describe as magnetic, — this is Fraulein Antoinette 
Kroger, whom Conrad Questenberg, a young American archi- 
tect, visiting abroad, first meets in a Kaffee-haus in Bremen, 
Germany, where the fair “ Toni ” entertains every evening. 

Toni has ambitions which lean towards a career in Amerika , 
as Questenberg learns at what he had intended to be his fare- 
well meeting with the girl. Very generously he offers a chance 
of a voyage to the land of the free if Toni will agree to “a 
trial engagement.” Impulsively, she accepts, and then — the 
love game is on. 

The author has achieved a thing unusual in developing a 
love story which adheres to conventions under unconventional 
circumstances. She has written a novel out of the ordinary 
in every way and one of striking brilliance, — remarkable for 
its unaffectedness and human interest appeal. 










MISS MADELYN MACK, 
DETECTIVE 

In which are solved the mysteries 
of “ The Purple Thumb,” or “ The White 
Orchids,” “The Man with Nine Lives,” “The 
Missing Bridegroom,” “ Cinderella’s Slipper,” etc. 

tBy Hugh C. Weir 

1 2mo, cloth decorative, with a frontispiece in full color, from a 
painting by Wm. c Oan Dresser. Net $ / . 25; carriage paid $ l .40 


No field of fiction is more interesting than that of a detect- 
ive, or professional investigator of mysteries, and it is easy to 
predict a popular welcome for this clever story of Mr. Weir’s. 
The reader will be absorbed in following the clues which guided 
Madelyn Mack, the unique woman detective, in the solution of 
the strange mystery of “ The Purple Thumb." And this is 
only one of her remarkable cases in a continuous series of 
adventures which constitute a tale of swift and dramatic action. 
Clever in plot and effective in style, the author has seized on 
some of the most sensational features of modern life, and the 
result is a detective novel that gets away from the beaten track 
of mystery stories in the first page and never returns to it. 








PLANTATION STORIES OF 
OLD LOUISIANA 

{By ylndrews Wilkinson 
9 

/ 2mo, cloth decorative, illustrated by Charles Livingston Bull 
ZACet $2.00 ; carriage paid $2.20 


Primarily, these nature and animal stories are for the chil- 
dren’s hour, but their underlying philosophy and humor will 
charm every member of the household from the smallest toddler 
to the old folks. In Old Jason, the author has created a 
character who will rival the justly famed Uncle Remus. The 
old fellow’s legends, related in the quaint negro dialect of the 
South of years ago, are remarkable examples of a vanishing 
folk lore and are certain to entertain even the most blase 
reader. Nor has the author been satisfied with having created 
only that delightful character. He has included in his volume 
stories of birds and animals which will take rank with Kipling’s 
Jungle Books ; he has given us stories in the hitherto little 
known Creole dialect, and through them all he has maintained 
an attractive interest which grasps the reader at the very 
outset and holds him until the last page has been read. 




Selections from 
The Page Company’s 
List of Fiction 


WORKS OF 

ELEANOR H. PORTER 

POLLYANNA: The GLAD Book ( 170 , 000 ) 

(trade mark) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by Stockton Mulford. 

Net, $1.25; carriage paid, $1.40 
“ All unconsciously it teaches a simple, wholesome lesson, 
which, if followed, would quickly transform this old world as a 
place to live in.” — Ex-Postmaster General John Wanamaker. 

MISS BILLY (9th Printing) 

Cloth decorative. With a frontispiece in full color from a 

painting by G. Tyng $1.50 

“ The story is delightful, and as for Billy herself — she s all 
right l ” — Philadelphia Press. 

MISS BILLY’S DECISION (5th Printing) 

A sequel to “ Miss Billy.” 

Cloth decorative. With a frontispiece in full color from a 
painting by Henry W. Moore . Net, $1.25; carriage paid, $1.40 
“ The story is written in bright, clever style and has plenty 
of action and humor. Miss Billv&s nice to know and so are her 
friends.” — New Haven Times Leader. 

CROSS CURRENTS 

Cloth decorative, illustrated . . • . • • .^*P® 

“ To one who enjoys a story of life as it is to-day, with its 
sorrows as well as its triumphs, this volume is sure to appeal. 
— Book News Monthly. 

THE TURN OF THE TIDE 

Cloth decorative, illustrated . . • • • • &J-25 

“ A very beautiful book showing the influence that went to 
the developing of the life of a dear little girl into a true and good, 
woman.” — Herald and Presbyter, Cincinnati, Ohio. 


2 


THE PAGE COMPANY'S 


WORKS OF 

L. M. MONTGOMERY 

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES ( 38th Printing) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by M. A. and W. A. J. Claus. 

$1.50 

“ In ‘ Anne of Green Gables 1 you will find the dearest and 
most moving and delightful child since the immortal Alice.” 
— Mark Twain in a letter to Francis Wilson. 

ANNE OF AVONLEA {20th Printing ) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by George Gibbs . $1.50 

“ A book to lift the spirit and send the pessimist into bank- 
ruptcy! ” — Meredith Nicholson. 

CHRONICLES OF AVONLEA {6th Printing) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by George Gibbs. 

Net, $1.25; carriage paid , $1.40 
“ The author shows a wonderful knowledge of humanity, 
great insight and warm-heartedness in the manner in which 
some of the scenes are treated, and the sympathetic way the 
gentle peculiarities of the characters are brought out.” — - 
Baltimore Sun. 

THE STORY GIRL {7th Printing) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by George Gibbs . . $1.50 

“ A book that holds one’s interest and keeps a kindly smile 
upon one’s lips and in one’s heart as well.” — Chicago Inter- 
Ocean. 

KILMENY OF THE ORCHARD {9th Printing) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by George Gibbs . $1.50 

“ A story born in the heart of Arcadia and brimful of the 
sweet and simple life of the primitive environment.” — Boston 
Herald. 

THE GOLDEN ROAD {3d Printing) 

Cloth decorative, illustrated by George Gibbs. 

Net, $1.25; carriage paid, $1.40 
In which it is proven that “ Life was a rose-lipped comrade 
with purple flowers dripping from her fingers.” 

“ It is a simple, tender tale, touched to higher notes, now and 
then, by delicate hints of romance, tragedy and pathos.” — 
Chicago Record-Herald. 


















